Why NZ Lost to WI in the 1st T20I of West Indies tour of New Zealand 2025: 3 Key Reasons Behind the Defeat

November in Auckland brought more excitement than expected, with a 7-run loss for New Zealand in front of an Eden Park crowd when they were chasing a gettable score of 165 against the West Indies. The home team showed repeated ambition, which caused them to stumble over and over again.
A late charge by Mitchell Santner was the closest thing to relief for the Kiwis, but West Indian bowling was disciplined and street smart to keep New Zealand tight throughout the match. This was not a total blowout – this was a tactical beating. Here are the three largest factors that led to New Zealand being on the losing end of a winnable Twenty/20 International (T20I).

The Middle-Order Meltdown – When Momentum Became Myth

Although New Zealand’s opening batsmen did have some good rhythm with the ball, it didn’t go as well as expected. Tim Robinson looked very aggressive for 27 (off 21) balls, then Rachin Ravindra kept things steady with his batting. However, by the end of the ninth over, when they were 70-3, New Zealand had got themselves into a position where they could easily win the match. From here, though, the game went rapidly downhill.

The next five wickets fell in 7 overs, with Mark Chapman (died on 7, off 11), Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, and James Neesham all falling to poor shots, which is unlike these players, who are all known for being explosive batsmen.

The Chase – Roston’s Spell That Broke NZ’s Back

Each Twenty20 game includes that one turn in the ball where you feel the atmosphere shift. In this case, that turn belonged to Roston Chase; he bowled with skill, patience, and an old-fashioned flair for the art in a format that often forgets about its craftsmen.

Chase’s 3 wickets for 26 runs did not merely earn him Man-of-the-Match honors; Chase defined the game. Chase eliminated Chapman, Neesham, and Foulkes; every time Chase knocked down another batter, New Zealand had been derailed from its momentum.

He read the batters well, using elevation and angles to make even established batsmen appear uncertain. On a pitch where mis-hits can still travel far enough for six, Chase made New Zealand question whether or not they should continue with their batting plans. Chase’s 6.50 run per over rate, which compared favorably to the other bowlers’ rates, also represented how much Chase controlled the flow of the game.

Tactical Hesitation and the Death-Overs Dilemma

Mitchell Santner did everything he could to mount an unsuccessful rescue effort — 55* from 28 balls was the work of a man battling both the bowling and circumstances. However, it was also indicative of the lack of action by New Zealand at the start of the match.

The batting order appeared to be quite haphazard, and the decision to allow Chapman and Bracewell to bat before Neesham, who has been doing better, seemed to be predetermined. New Zealand didn’t have an actual Plan B after losing the first 4 batters.

In contrast, the West Indies executed their scripted death overs exactly as written. Matthew Forde, Romario Shepherd, and Kyle Seales pitched into the ball and used varying degrees of pace and full, direct line pitches to eliminate large shots.

New Zealand’s failure to create multiple scoring opportunities through rotating the strike between overs 15 and 18 ultimately sealed their fate; they only scored 20 runs during this critical time frame, leaving too little room for Santner to attempt to correct the damage.

FAQs

1: Who was the Player of the Match in NZ vs WI 1st T20I?

Roston Chase won it for his all-round brilliance—28 runs and 3/26 that turned the game.

2: What was the turning point of the match?

Chase’s double strike in the middle overs (removing Neesham and Foulkes) halted New Zealand’s chase momentum completely.

3: How did Mitchell Santner perform despite the loss?

Santner smashed 55* off 28, nearly pulling off a heist, but ran out of partners in the final overs.