New Zealand started their home season on a winning note on Friday with a five-wicket victory over West Indies in the first of the three-match T20I series at Auckland’s Eden Park. 

Playing at home for the first time since India’s tour ended in February and without veterans Kane Williamson and Trent Boult, the Black Caps chased down a reduced 176-run target after multiple rain interruptions curtailed the match to 16 overs. 

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Having been put to bat first, West Indies started brightly with openers Andre Fletcher and Brandon King racing to 58/0 after 3.1 overs. 

However, a spectacular collapse saw five wickets fall for just one run in the space of 17 deliveries as Lockie Ferguson and skipper Tim Southee ran rampant through the visitors’ top-order. 

West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard (75 from 37) then turned on the style and together with Fabian Allen, put up 84 runs for the sixth wicket, helping amass a commanding 180-run total. 

The Black Caps started the chase poorly, with Sheldon Cottrell dismissing Martin Guptill in the first over and kept losing wickets in regular intervals. 

James Neesham (48 from 24) then formed a partnership with debutant Devon Conway (41 from 29) and Mitchell Santner (31 from 18) saw out the win with four balls to spare. 

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Speaking after the match, Pollard praised the team’s recovery after losing five quick wickets to get to a commanding total, but lamented the bowling unit’s lack of disciple. 

“It was a topsy turvy game, bit of indiscipline shown by us in the bowling side of things. We got off to a very good start, 50-odd in three overs but losing 5 wickets after that set us back. We put a challenging total on the board and were in the game till the end. In international cricket, 5-6 no balls that is not disciplined,” he said. 

Meanwhile, New Zealand skipper Southee lauded Ferguson five-wicket haul, for which he was adjudged man-of-the-match. 

“The fight that Lockie showed was brilliant and we needed something special like that to stop West Indies after the start they got. We were a little bit off the ball but it’s nice to be on the winning side,” South said. 

The second T20 will be played at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on November 29.