Virat Kohli has the most centuries in ODI history, and yet, each time one sees him bat in the only format he is still active in internationally, thoughts turn to the 2027 World Cup. Kohli is 37 now. Will he still be playing two years on? For Sitanshu Kotak, India’s batting coach, “there’s no point talking about all this” and fans should stay in the moment.”I don’t know why we need to look at all this – he’s really batting well, and I don’t see any reason we need to talk about his future,” Kotak said after Kohli’s 135 from 120 balls took India to victory in the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi on Sunday.”Just the way he’s batting, it’s just brilliant. The way he’s performing, [and] his fitness – there are no questions about anything,” Kotak said. “I feel such things [the 2027 World Cup] shouldn’t even be spoken about after the way he plays and performs. That is something which is two years away. There’s no point talking about all this. For us, once the team arrives and we start practice, we just enjoy.”Related

• Harshit takes the first step in fast bowlers' race for 2027 World Cup

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Vastly experienced players like Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who is a year older at 38, add value to the dressing room even otherwise, Kotak pointed out. And it’s not like they aren’t performing. Rohit’s last three innings in ODIs have been worth 73, 121* and 57.”Obviously, they do share their experience with others,” Kotak said. “I don’t think we’re talking anything about the 2027 World Cup. They are just brilliant, and they are performing. They are contributing to the team, which is a great thing for us.”Like Kohli, Rohit is also active only in ODIs internationally. That leaves both of them with very limited game time. But, despite that, for the second successive match, Kohli and Rohit showed good form while stitching together a match-winning century stand.After adding an unbeaten 168 against Australia in Sydney last month, they had a stand of 136 in the first ODI against South Africa. While Kohli followed 74* in Sydney with 135 in Ranchi, Rohit scored 57 at better than a-run-a-ball against South Africa after hitting 121* in a win over Australia.”They are such experienced players; it’s always great to have them,” Kotak said. “The way they bat – like today also, that partnership – it makes a huge difference. Obviously, they batted really well.”

Their team Timor-Leste has had a tough start to international cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Nov-2025Timor-Leste’s Suhail Sattar, 50, and Yahya Suhail, 17, are the first father and son duo to play together in an international match. They achieved the unique feat, and batted together, in Timor-Leste’s first international match, against hosts Indonesia in Bali on November 6.Yahya and Sattar, though, are not the first parent and child to play together in an international match. The Switzerland women’s team had a mother-daughter duo – Metty Fernandes and Naina Metty Saju – playing six T20Is together this year.There are other instances of father-son duos playing with each other – as well as against each other – in domestic cricket. Shivnarine Chanderpaul and his son Tagenarine played 11 first-class games together for Guyana, with Shivnarine even captaining his son in a game against Windward Islands at Providence Stadium in March 2014.More recently, in the 2025 Shpageeza Cricket League final, Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi played against his son Hassan Eisakhil.Timor-Leste have had a rough start to international cricket, suffering ten-wicket defeats in each of their first three games.

Canada got the rub of the green as preparations for the 2026 World Cup kicked into full gear. Les Rouges will face Switzerland, Qatar and the winner of a European playoff to open the tournament next summer. On paper, it’s a winnable group – but if the playoff unfolds as expected, Jesse Marsch’s team could be staring down global giants Italy in the early stages.

• Getty Images
  

  Draw: Switzerland, Qatar, TBD

  The World Cup draw brought a kind set of matchups for Canada as they prepare for their first World Cup with Jesse Marsch at the helm. The American coach has repeatedly called for his team to be tested in big moments, and Group B will give him plenty to work with. Switzerland (17), Qatar (51) and the winner of European playoff A tie don’t offer anything particularly easy – but nor do they feel overwhelming.

  Crucially, Canada seem to have avoided the biggest names expected to cause damage in Pot 2 and 3. Pot 4, however, is less forgiving. The winner of European playoff A could be former world champions Italy.

  Beyond the group, the bracket could also get tricky. An early knockout matchup with Brazil is possible if Les Rouges finish second. Still, the immediate focus is on the group – and this looks surprisingly winnable.

  Their Pot 2 opponent is Switzerland, a mixed side of late. They struggled in European qualifying, but beat both Mexico and the USMNT in pre-Gold Cup friendlies in June. Pot 3 produced Qatar, which also feels relatively friendly given the recent drop in form – a run that included defeats to Palestine and Zimbabwe. Pot 4 is where it could unravel. If they win their playoff, Italy (12) would be formidable. Other possibilities include Northern Ireland, Bosnia, and Wales.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Must-watch TV: Italy

  The Canadians will be an excellent watch regardless of who they play. But a fixture with Italy would truly be wonderful. They are a little more expansive under manager Gennaro Gattuso, and uncharacteristically leaky at the back. Tournament games are supposed to be cagey. This might not be that. Should the unexpected happen and Wales advance, their fans would certainly make that fixture good watching.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Dangerous matchup: Switzerland

  The UEFA playoffs are still to be determined, but Switzerland will be a tricky Pot 2 team. Even if their results have been mixed, they are still an experienced side, with Granit Xhaka pulling the strings in center midfield. 

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  Key opposition player: Manuel Akanji

  It's an admittedly star-light group. But Switzerland's Manuel Akanji, a two-time Premier League winner with Man City, will make things tricky for Canada's attack. 

He will be replaced in the squad by Jordan Neill

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2025

Ross Adair, the Ireland opener, has been ruled out of his team’s upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh due to a bone stress in the knee. Jordan Neill will stay on after the upcoming two Tests and replace Adair in the T20I squad.Adair, who scored a memorable 58-ball hundred against South Africa last year, has had to overcome a few injury concerns in recent months. In his three T20Is this year, he had found some form with 48 against West Indies, and 26 and 33 against England. However, his withdrawal from the Bangladesh tour will now likely see him return to the national fold only in time for next year’s T20 World Cup.Related

Test-starved Bangladesh and Ireland ready to dine on red-ball action in Sylhet

Neill was selected as part of the 15-man Test squad for the upcoming Bangladesh tour, and now will stay on to be part of the T20I squad. Neill made his international debut for Ireland in May this year, however suffered an injury in the field and missed a decent part of the home season.”It’s very unfortunate to have lost Ross on the eve of the Bangladesh tour, he really demonstrated his value at the top of the T20I order during the few chances he had in 2025, and we were looking forward to seeing him perform against Bangladesh,” Andrew White, Ireland s national selector, said.”There are a couple of combinations that we are keen to explore as we build up to next year’s T20 World Cup. Jordan Neill will stay on as part of the T20I squad to provide valuable cover to the wider group. We have players that in the past showed they are capable of deputising at the top of the order – this allows us to adjust the batting line-up and create greater flexibility through the middle and late overs.”The left-handed Ben Calitz coming into the middle order will provide us with the variety we have struggled with over recent years – and this tour gives us a much-needed opportunity to see how a number of players adapt to different situations and conditions.”Ireland will kick off their tour of Bangladesh with the first Test in Sylhet on November 11, before moving to Mirpur for the second Test on November 19. The two teams will then play a three-match T20I series starting November 27.

Back in training two days out from India’s semi-final, she was in mismatched gear but entirely of the group

S Sudarshanan28-Oct-2025It was around 5:30pm. A bright Tuesday afternoon had given way to a gloomy evening. The groundstaff took down the nets they had erected for India’s training. Covers came onto the square. Navi Mumbai had experienced showers over the past few days, and another wet evening seemed to be in store.That’s when Shafali Verma strolled into the ground with her team-mates. It was not too hard to spot her. It hadn’t even been 24 hours since she was drafted in as Pratika Rawal’s injury replacement for the rest of Women’s World Cup 2025. She had been in Surat for the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, and it looked like her training kit hadn’t made it to Navi Mumbai yet. Her jersey matched everyone else’s but her bottoms were from India’s T20I kit rather than the black trackpants everyone else wore.Related

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The floodlights came on just as India’s players gathered by the dugout. The journalists present trained their eyes on Shafali, tracking, and commenting on, her every move. Her celebrations during the foot-volley warm-up drills seem muted, don’t they? She hasn’t looked particularly chatty, has she? Does she feel like she belongs? Is she finding it awkward to join a team at this stage of the tournament?After the warm-ups came about half an hour of catching drills. Shafali took close catches and then high ones. She seemed to judge the high catches well under lights. She is no stranger to this venue, having played the WPL for Delhi Capitals here.Shafali is no stranger to the big stage either. She is only 21 but has already played three T20 World Cups and an ODI World Cup. She was also the captain when India won the inaugural Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup. She made her India debut as a teenager, backed for her no-holds-barred approach. She was meant to be the difference between India getting to 250 and 320. But her methods came with inconsistency, and India ran out of patience last year.With Smriti Mandhana’s current avatar taking on the onus of quick starts, Shafali could potentially have time to settle in•BCCIShafali went back to domestic cricket. She captained Haryana to a quarter-final finish in the one-day tournament last year, and scored more runs than anyone else (527), at a strike rate (152.31) that only one batter bettered. That batter, Kiran Navgire, only scored 116 runs. Shafali followed up with a sensational WPL. She While she earned a T20I recall earlier this year, she couldn’t win back her ODI spot.The moment had arrived now, right before a World Cup semi-final against Australia.She was padded up now. After a 15-minute meeting with the rest of India’s batting group, Shafali walked to the training ground just outside the main ground. An entourage of photographers, camerapersons, producers and journalists followed.Shafali took a throwdown first, defending it off the front foot. Next ball, she drove Amanjot Kaur crisply through the covers. Next ball, she used her feet against Sneh Rana. Soon, the reverse-sweep appeared. She tried it off Rana but didn’t middle it.Shafali was batting in rotation with Harleen Deol. When she wasn’t facing up, she was keeping a close eye on Deol as well as Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana in adjacent nets. When her turn came again, she went in and played her shots. After spending close to 45 minutes in the nets, she walked to the main ground for an open net session.Shafali is only 21, but she’s already played three T20 World Cups and one previous ODI World Cup•Getty ImagesHere she faced Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh, Radha Yadav and Deepti Sharma. She did not middle all of her big shots. But when she did, the net bowlers and fielders had to fetch the ball from beyond the digital ad-boards.She looked tired after a long spell of this, but she wasn’t done yet. She rolled her arm over, bowling to Mandhana, Deepti Sharma and the lower order. After every ball, she chatted with bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi. At the end of it all, it felt like she had never been away. The bonhomie was visible for all to see.It was just past 10pm by the time Shafali, among the last batch of players and support staff to leave the ground, made her way to the team hotel, which conveniently overlooks the DY Patil Stadium.Shafali had been involved from start to finish, an indication, perhaps, that she will slot straight into India’s XI on Thursday, in a straight swap with Rawal at the top of the order. With Mandhana’s latest avatar casting her as the enforcer to Rawal’s anchor, Shafali might have the chance to take her time early on and look to bat long. She had worked hard on this before WPL 2025.Either way, a second ODI World Cup has come calling for Shafali. Not in the manner she would have expected. She wasn’t even among India’s reserves, but when they needed an opener, who else would they have possibly turned to? Who else could they have visualised at the crease, absorbing Australia’s punches and throwing them right back?

Chelsea have been tipped to ‘easily’ sign a ‘top player’ who could become a ‘superstar’ away from his current club.

Chelsea suffer Atalanta blow as Maresca crashes down to Earth

Chelsea’s aspirations of securing automatic Champions League knockout round qualification took a significant hit as they surrendered a half-time advantage to lose 2-1 against Atalanta in Bergamo on Tuesday evening.

Enzo Maresca’s side appeared on course for a crucial victory when Joao Pedro slid home his maiden Champions League goal in the 25th minute, capitalizing on Reece James’s delivery after a VAR review confirmed the captain had timed his run perfectly.

The Blues controlled proceedings during the opening period, with their man-to-man pressing disrupting Atalanta’s rhythm and limiting the Serie A outfit’s opportunities.

However, Josh Acheampong did have to produce a stunning goal-line block to deny Ademola Lookman what appeared a certain opener.

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Maresca’s decision to withdraw the booked Trevoh Chalobah at half-time appeared to kickstart a dramatic shift in momentum.

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The Blues are short up front.

ByEmilio Galantini 3 days ago

James spurned an excellent opportunity to extend Chelsea’s lead early in the second period, firing wide from a promising position on the edge of the penalty area.

Atalanta immediately made Chelsea pay, with Charles De Ketelaere delivering an exceptional cross from the right flank, allowing former West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca to rise completely unmarked inside the six-yard box and nod past Robert Sanchez.

The Belgian forward then completed the turnaround with seven minutes remaining, his deflected strike looping over Sanchez after taking a wicked deflection off Marc Cucurella’s retreating leg.

Despite late opportunities for Alejandro Garnacho, James and Pedro, Marco Carnesecchi’s goalkeeping ensured Atalanta claimed all three points.

It was a humbling night for Chelsea, merely a fortnight after they were being talked about as genuine Premier League title contenders.

There is clearly still work to do before the west Londoners can be discussed in that manner, with Maresca lamenting Chelsea’s defending in a post-match press conference.

With holes still ever present and Maresca constantly rotating his first-team due to injuries, there may still be more work to do in the transfer market next year.

Chelsea spent nearly £300 million in the summer, but they remain pretty light in midfield with the constantly-injured Roméo Lavia sidelined for yet another extended period.

As a result, the west Londoners have been tipped to move for a new midfielder in 2026, and Man United’s Kobbie Mainoo could be available.

Chelsea tipped to 'easily' sign Kobbie Mainoo from Man United

Chelsea have been repeatedly linked with the Red Devils sensation these last 12 months, with Mainoo on the fringes of Ruben Amorim’s first team and potentially poised for the exit door.

Speaking on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast, ex-United midfielder Nicky Butt has tipped Chelsea to sign Mainoo amid his current club’s ‘mind-boggling’ stance when it comes to young stars.

The 20-year-old, who burst on to the scene at Old Trafford in 2023/2024, was once a revelation under Erik ten Hag and one of England’s rising stars.

Mainoo’s excellent form that year, including an FA Cup final goal against Man City, earned him a spot in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024.

He played in all but one of the Three Lions’ games that tournament, including a start in the final against Spain, so finding Mainoo in this situation at United is truly bizarre.

The talented and versatile midfielder seemingly doesn’t fit into Amorim’s tactical blueprint, with Chelsea believed to still be keen on Mainoo amid their search for world football’s most elite young talents.

This could be a match made in heaven.

Mykhailo Mudryk’s career at Chelsea remains in limbo as the Ukrainian winger continues serving a provisional suspension.

The £88.5 million signing last featured for the Blues in November 2024, scoring in a Conference League victory over Heidenheim before disappearing from matchday squads entirely.

The FA formally charged Mudryk in June following confirmation that his ‘B’ sample tested positive for meldonium, a prohibited performance-enhancing substance.

The charge carries potential sanctions ranging from several months to a maximum four-year ban, though significant uncertainty surrounds the case’s resolution timeline.

Mudryk has steadfastly maintained his innocence throughout the ordeal, insisting the positive test came as ‘complete shock’ and that he never knowingly consumed banned substances.

Ukrainian journalist Igor Burbas offered an intriguing explanation, suggesting Mudryk received a stem cell injection during national team duty to address discomfort that was limiting his performance.

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It would be a head turner.

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According to the report, these stem cells allegedly originated from a cow exposed to meldonium, inadvertently contaminating Mudryk’s sample.

Shakhtar Donetsk chief executive Sergei Palkin recently confirmed Mudryk passed a polygraph test and continues building his defence case, though formal results remain pending.

Palkin revealed substantial financial stakes beyond Mudryk’s career, with Shakhtar potentially forfeiting €30 million in performance-related bonuses if the winger cannot return to action.

Chelsea have provided Mudryk with an individualised fitness programme during his exile from the Cobham training ground, though his number ten shirt was reassigned to Cole Palmer this summer.

The club also signed Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens during his absence, significantly diminishing his prospects of a first-team role under Enzo Maresca, even if the 24-year-old is eventually cleared.

Luckily for Mudryk, the west Londoners apparently have a plan for that scenario.

Chelsea hatch Mykhaylo Mudryk plan in roadmap to rescue his career

According to reports from Spain, Chelsea have devised a ‘carefully considered’ strategy to ‘rescue’ Mudryk’s career following his prolonged doping suspension that has sidelined him for over a year.

The club apparently plan to loan him to sister club Strasbourg, their sister club in Ligue 1, once his ban concludes.

Rather than severing ties with their near-£100 million investment, Chelsea believe a spell in French football offers Mudryk the ideal environment to rebuild both physically and mentally.

The move would also provide fewer eyes compared to the Premier League’s intense spotlight, allowing Mudryk to rediscover his confidence through regular competitive action.

Stamford Bridge officials view the Strasbourg loan as mutually beneficial for all parties.

Mudryk gains essential playing time in a competitive league without overwhelming pressure, while Strasbourg acquire a player of significant talent, and Chelsea can monitor his development from a safe distance before determining his long-term future.

Contracted until 2031, BlueCo still have plenty of time to weigh up a decision on this, and hope that they can recover at least some of the eye-watering cash they spent on Mudryk in 2023.

Newcastle United were hit with a big blow in the summer transfer window when Alexander Isak opted to pursue a move to Premier League champions Liverpool.

The Magpies raked in a British record fee of £125m for the Sweden international, who scored 52 goals in his last two full seasons at St. James’ Park in all competitions, per Sofascore.

That meant that Eddie Howe and the recruitment team had plenty of work to do in the summer to bring in players to carry a goal threat, and they did a fairly decent job.

Ranking Newcastle's summer signings

The headline signing for the Magpies was, of course, the £69m addition of Nick Woltemade as a replacement for Isak, and he has scored a respectable five goals in ten Premier League games this season.

£55m signing Yoane Wissa from Brentford, though, is yet to feature for the club, due to injury, which makes it hard to judge how good of a signing he will turn out to be.

Whilst Wissa is impossible to rank, Jacob Ramsey ranks at the bottom of the pile of summer signings, right now, having failed to provide a goal or an assist in ten appearances this season for the Magpies.

1

Malick Thiaw

2

Nick Woltemade

3

Aaron Ramsdale

4

Anthony Elanga

5

Jacob Ramsey

N/A

Yoane Wissa

As you can see in the table above, Malick Thiaw ranks at the top of the pile after his brace against Everton, as he has provided a solid presence at the back for Newcastle.

The German giant, signed from Milan for £30m, has started nine Premier League games and won a whopping 72% of his duels, per Sofascore, which makes him the most dominant defender in the squad.

Whilst Thiaw has been a brilliant signing for the club, there is a pre-existing member of the squad who may have the potential to be their next Isak-esque superstar.

The Newcastle ace who could be their next superstar

Lewis Miley was given a rare opportunity to impress in the middle of the park against Everton, in what was his third start of the Premier League season, and he showcased his class, winning 100% (3/3) of his physical duels, per Sofascore.

The Newcastle academy graduate also scored the second goal of the match, firing past Jordan Pickford with his weak foot, which came after his brilliant corner was nodded in by Thiaw in the opening minute of the game.

Miley was once hailed as “England’s next superstar” by BBC pundit Pat Nevin. Performances like his one against the Toffees at the weekend only help to back up that claim, as he looks to make his mark at senior level.

The 19-year-old whiz has made 60 first-team appearances for the Magpies to date, per Transfermarkt, but the next step for him is to nail down a place as a regular starter in midfield, which means that he will need to get in over Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, or Joelinton.

That is no easy task, but it is one that he is capable of completing, as his performance against Everton proved, because the youngster has the talent to be impactful at Premier League level, despite his age and inexperience.

As a young midfielder who can score and assist goals, with four goals and six assists at first-team level so far, Miley is an even more exciting talent than Thiaw, who is not as flashy a talent as a centre-back.

The England U21 international has the chance to be a superstar for the Magpies because he is an English and academy-grown prospect who the fans can get behind and champion as ‘one of their own’ from the local area, which adds an extra special dynamic to his potential rise to stardom.

Miley, given that he is not a regular starter yet, still has a long way to go before he is at Isak’s level of stardom at St. James’ Park, but the potential is there for him to eventually hit those heights.

It is now down to the English midfielder, though, to deliver quality performances whenever he is called upon, as he did against Everton, to prove to Howe that he has the consistency required to start week-in-week-out.

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After Miley achieves that, the teenage talent can focus on being a real difference-maker at the top end of the pitch with goals and assists to take him from being a key player to a superstar.

Tottenham Hotspur’s attack in 2025/26 has massively failed to deliver at present, as seen by the measly figures produced by those in such an area of the pitch.

Richarlison is currently the Lilywhites’ top scorer in the Premier League this campaign, but the Brazilian has only managed to score five times in his 14 appearances to date.

Micky van de Ven is the only other player within Thomas Frank’s squad to net more than two goals in England’s top-flight, further showcasing the lack of talent in the final third.

Fellow centre-back Cristian Romero also netted a double in the 2-2 draw against Newcastle United on Tuesday night, with the Argentine rescuing a point at St James’ Park.

However, the January window presents an opportunity for Frank and the hierarchy to add needed quality to the attacking department to aid their chance of success.

Spurs looking to bolster their forward line

In an attempt to improve the options within the final third, Spurs have identified Porto striker Samu Aghehowa as a potential option ahead of the January window.

The 21-year-old has been in tremendous form during the 2025/26 season, as seen by his tally of 12 goals in his 20 appearances for the Portuguese giants.

However, such a deal would certainly be a hefty one for Frank’s men, with his current employers demanding a fee in the region of €80m (£70m) to part ways with their talisman.

Samu isn’t the only attacker currently being considered by the Lilywhites hierarchy ahead of the winter window, with Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo also another target.

According to Sky Sports, Frank’s men have started to intensify their efforts to land the 25-year-old winger, who has already registered nine combined goals and assists this campaign.

They also state that Liverpool are also in the race for his signature, but Fabio Paratici’s early efforts have seen the Lilywhites take the lead in the hunt for his services.

Why Semenyo could be Spurs' new Heung-min Son

Heung-min Son is a player who massively exceeded expectations during his decade in North London, with the South Korean international one of the best to wear the Spurs shirt.

He joined as an unknown quantity to many supporters back in the summer of 2015, but after a decade at the club, it’s safe to say he cemented himself as one of their best-ever attackers.

The winger racked up a staggering total of 173 goals in his 454 appearances for the club, even racking up 101 assists – often being to the go-to man alongside Harry Kane.

However, Frank was unable to rely upon the 33-year-old after taking the reins, with the attacker departing in a £20m deal to join LAFC during the summer window.

Son, who was capable of impressing with both feet, has left a huge hole on the left-hand side of the Lilywhites’ attack, something which has been a huge issue for the Dane.

That could be about to change in the coming months, especially if the hierarchy are able to secure a move for Semenyo in the upcoming transfer window

The Ghanaian international, who has demonstrated his two-footed ability this campaign, has also produced numerous impressive figures – with his underlying figures showcasing his qualities in possession.

Semenyo, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by teammate Justin Kluivert, has managed 0.69 goals and assists per 90, a tally higher than any player in the Spurs squad.

Such a tally ranks him in the 97th percentile of all other attackers in the division, showcasing his incredible ability to produce the goods in front of goal.

He’s also registered 1.1 shots on target and 2.3 aerials won per 90, with both figures also ranking him higher than 95% of other wingers in the Premier League.

Semenyo is an all-round talent who can either go alone or provide the goods for those around him, with £65m potentially being an excellent price for a player of his quality.

Other stats, such as 1.8 take-ons and 1.4 carries into the final third per 90, further highlight his talent in possession, which could hand Frank the talent he craves in attacking areas.

It’s unclear if the board will manage to get a deal over the line in the coming months, but if they want to reach the next level, a move for Semenyo is an absolute must.

His skillset is scarily close to that of Son, with the Ghanaian having the chance to emulate the South Korean and make his own history should he move to North London.

Saved by Romero: Frank must bin Spurs flop who had fewer touches than Vicario

Tottenham Hotspur were fortunate to walk away with a point against Newcastle United last night.

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Shai Hope’s fifty rescued WI from 43 for 3, while Roston Chase starred with an all-round show

Tristan Lavalette05-Nov-2025Quick Matthew Forde provided a spark in his return from injury before West Indies overcame a late whirlwind from skipper Mitchell Santner to defeat New Zealand in the T20I series-opener. West Indies did eventually clinch the lowest total successfully defended at Eden Park in a T20I, but they were made to work hard after Santner clubbed 55 not out from 28 balls to almost power New Zealand to an incredible victory.Romario Shepherd, however, held his nerve with the ball in the final over to ensure West Indies drew first blood in the five-match series. Roston Chase produced a fine display of spin bowling on a small ground, picking up 3 for 26 to go with the hand he played in West Indies’ two biggest partnerships earlier in the day. He was named Player of the Match.Having been restricted in good batting conditions less than a week after clean-sweeping a T20I series in Bangladesh, West Indies appeared set for a tough start to a tour that comprises all three formats. But Forde was menacing in his return from a shoulder injury as West Indies tore through a meek New Zealand batting effort. It was a disappointing start for New Zealand in their first match since the retirement of Kane Williamson from T20I cricket.It was a major turnaround after West Indies’ batting order had earlier struggled on a surface with much more bounce than in Bangladesh. Captain Shai Hope overcame a slow start in the powerplay to top score with 53 off 39 balls to lead West Indies’ recovery from 43 for 3.This series is seen as important preparation for the short-handed teams as they build towards a T20 World Cup that is just three months away. Meanwhile, there was an old-school feel to the game with DRS not in place due to technical issues.Matthew Forde got 1 for 9 off his first three overs•Getty Images

Forde sparks WI in comeback game

Forde hadn’t played any competitive cricket since July, but showed no signs of rust in a brilliant opening burst. He bowled beautifully with the new ball, especially from around the wicket to trouble Devon Conway with deadly swing.Forde was finally rewarded when he clean-bowled Conway with an inswinger that hit top of off stump. He continued to be all over New Zealand’s top order, finishing with 1 for 9 off his first three overs – marked by 14 dot balls – in the powerplay. But his performance was soured slightly after conceding 23 runs to a rampaging Santner in the 18th over.

Santner’s near miraculous heist

After a horrific collapse of 7 for 37 from 70 for 2 in the tenth over, New Zealand appeared set for a crushing defeat at 107 for 9 in the 17th. But Santner turned the chase on its head by smashing seven boundaries and a six in a nine-ball flurry as the sparse crowd started to find its voice.With New Zealand needing 20 runs off the final over, Santner could not score off the first two deliveries bowled by Shepherd – although the second ball should have been called a wide due to height – before clubbing a six to give New Zealand hope. But it ultimately proved too tough a task despite a record tenth-wicket partnership for New Zealand in T20Is.Shai Hope rebuilt with a half-century after three early wickets•AFP/Getty Images

Hope fires after slow start

Having come off tours of Bangladesh and India, West Indies had the tough task of quickly acclimatising to the different conditions in New Zealand. Their top order made a rough start, struggling to handle the extra bounce as Brandon King, Alick Athanaze and Ackeem Auguste holed out after miscues.Hope had to steady the innings, and he entered the match after solid performances across formats in south Asia. But he was sluggish to begin with, unable to find timing much to his frustration on a true surface. Hope scored only 11 off 17 balls in the powerplay, with West Indies making just 32 runs off the first six overs. He finally decided to go for broke against Jimmy Neesham in the seventh over as the run rate finally lifted over six an over.It got him going, with Hope starting to clatter the smaller boundaries and bringing up his half-century in style by clubbing Zakary Foulkes for six over long-off. But Hope was clean bowled on the next delivery, undone by Foulkes’ variation as he missed an attempted swipe over the leg side.West Indies’ innings never truly got rolling, but it did receive a lift from Rovman Powell, who smashed a couple of huge sixes after being dropped twice in the outfield by Michael Bracewell.Jacob Duffy struck in the first over•AFP/Getty Images

Duffy shines in NZ’s disciplined attack

New Zealand are assembling a deep and talented pace pack, with competition for spots hotting up as the T20 World Cup looms. With Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke and Lockie Ferguson on the sidelines, New Zealand didn’t miss a beat, with Jacob Duffy the standout of an attack that kept a powerful West Indies batting order in check.Duffy was outstanding in the powerplay, removing King in the first over to start an opening burst that yielded figures of 1 for 10 off three overs. He later bowled Chase with a superb yorker after coming back at the death.Duffy showcased his variety, bowling a mixture of length and full deliveries to concede just one boundary in four overs. Kyle Jamieson bowled well in his return from a side strain, while Foulkes had a mixed bag but did claim two wickets.