Eish, the tension was real! New Zealand just pipped the West Indies by nine runs in a nail-biting third T20 international on Sunday. Kyle Jamieson, that oke, kept his cool in the final over for the second game running, sealing the deal for the Kiwis.
The Windies were chasing New Zealand's 177-9 in Nelson and looked like they might just do it, but they were bowled out for 168 when Romario Shepherd got caught in the deep off the second-to-last ball. That was a career-best 49 for Shepherd, shame.
New Zealand now leads the five-game series 2-1. This match followed the same pattern as the first two, with the chasing team just falling short. Ag, so close!
Things looked bleak for the West Indies at 88-8 in the 13th over, but then Shepherd and Shamar Springer started hitting boundaries like nobody's business. They put on 78 runs off just 6.3 overs before Jacob Duffy took a blinder of a catch to dismiss Springer for 39 with one over left.
They needed 12 to win, but Jamieson only allowed two runs off his first four balls before getting Shepherd out, sending the New Zealand team into celebration mode. That Jamieson, hey? He also bowled well in Auckland on Thursday when New Zealand levelled the series, giving away only 12 runs in the final over of a three-run victory.
New Zealand lost their way a bit after Devon Conway was run out for 56 off 34 balls. Daryl Mitchell was the best of the middle order with a quick 41.
Alick Athanaze (31) and Ackeem Auguste (24) gave the West Indies a solid start, but losing six wickets for 35 runs really messed up their chances.
Duffy took 3-36 and Ish Sodhi 3-34. That moved Sodhi to third on the all-time list of T20 international wicket-takers with 156. He's now behind only Rashid Khan of Afghanistan (182 wickets) and fellow New Zealander Tim Southee (164).
"The heart rate was pumping there again. Those death bowlers are doing a great job," said Sodhi. Eish, can you imagine the pressure?