NZ vs WI 2025: Rain forces abandonment of fourth T20I as Kiwis maintain 2-1 lead

The fourth T20I between New Zealand and West Indies ended with no result after persistent rain interrupted play, leaving the hosts ahead 2-1 in the five-match series. The New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to bat first, making one change as Mark Chapman replaced Mitchell Hay. The West Indies also made a change, bringing in the experienced Roston Chase over Akeal Hosein.

The visitors began cautiously, scoring steadily in the first two overs before finding momentum in the next three, reaching 30 runs in five overs. However, rain interrupted proceedings for the first time before play resumed briefly. Soon after the restart, James Neesham made an immediate impact, dismissing Alick Athanaze for 21 off 18 balls.

Unfortunately, just as the powerplay concluded, rain returned with the West Indies on 38 for 1 in 6.3 overs. The downpour intensified, and play could not resume, forcing officials to abandon the match. As a result, the fourth T20I was called off, with the hosts retaining their 2-1 series lead heading into the final game.

Earlier in the series, the West Indies took the first T20I by seven runs, thanks to Shai Hope’s 53 and an impressive bowling effort led by Roston Chase, who claimed 3 for 26 and earned the Player of the Match award. Despite Mitchell Santner’s unbeaten 55, New Zealand fell short in their chase.

In the second match, Chapman starred with a blistering 78 off 28 balls, guiding the BlackCaps to victory and levelling the series. The bowlers backed up his innings with disciplined performances.

The third match once again went the hosts’ way, with the Kiwi bowlers delivering key breakthroughs. Ish Sodhi took 3 for 34, becoming the third-highest wicket-taker in T20Is. Despite a late fightback from Romario Shepherd and Akeal Hosein, who added 72 runs for the 10th wicket, the Caribbean side fell short of the target.

With the series still alive, the fifth and final T20I will be played on November 13 at the University Oval in Dunedin. The hosts will look to seal the series, while the visiting army aims to level it 2-2 before heading into the 50-over format on a positive note.