Cricket: Blackcaps take Twenty20 series victory as Glenn Phillips, spinners punish West Indies

The Blackcaps have sealed their three-match Twenty20 International series against the West Indies with a game to spare, thrashing their hosts by 90 runs at Kingston's Sabina Park.

Knocks of 76 from 41 balls to Glenn Phillips and 48 off 20 to Daryl Mitchell paved the way for a total of 215/5, before New Zealand's spinners took hold and restricted the West Indies to 125/9 from their 20 overs.

With the ball, Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell both took 3/15 from their respective four-over spells, while Ish Sodhi had 1/36, as seven of the nine wickets fell to the Kiwi spinners.

Michael Bracwell took three wickets with the ball.
Michael Bracwell took three wickets with the ball. Photo credit: Image - Getty Images

Tim Southee took 1/34, but also had three dropped catches off his bowling, while Kane Williamson also picked up a runout.

The victory gives the Blackcaps an unassailable 2-0 series lead before the third and final match at the same venue on Monday morning (NZ time).

Batting first after winning the toss, Martin Guptill got the Blackcaps off to a fast start with 20 off 11, before he and Kane Williamson (4) both fell in the fourth over to leave the Blackcaps 36/2.

Devon Conway stopped the fall of wickets with 42, starting slowly, before taking the attack to the bowlers, adding 71 in 46 balls with Phillips.

Once Conway departed, out leg before wicket to Odean Smith, Phillips took over, as he and Mitchell put their hosts to the sword.

On his home ground for Caribbean Premier League side Jamaica Tallawahs, Phillips hit three boundaries and four sixes en route to a 31-ball half-century, before striking two more sixes as part of his 76.

Mitchell hit four sixes of his own, as the pair plundered 83 runs from 34 balls in tandem, taking the total over 200 and setting a new record for a visiting side at Sabina Park.

Mitchell was bowled around his legs at the start of the final over, missing his half-century, but paving the way for the Blackcaps' imposing score.

To start the West Indies chase, Santner struck with his first ball for the second match in succession, bowling Shamarh Brooks for seven, before having Kyle Mayers caught by Phillips in the deep three balls later for a double-strike. 

At the other end, Bracewell also took a wicket with his first ball, as West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran was caught behind by Conway for one, leaving his side in turmoil at 12/3.

At 28/4, Shimron Hetmyer had half of the West Indies total on his own, but was run out for 14, trying to steal a single to Williamson at cover and leaving his side in further disarray.

Bracewell had a third wicket in his final over, as Jason Holder skied a catch to Guptill for 11, leaving the West Indies 41/6 at the halfway stage of their chase.

Rovman Powell made 21, before he fell lbw to Sodhi, while Odean Smith was caught on the leg side fence by Phillips, off Southee.

Romario Shepherd holed out to Williamson to give Santner his third, before a last-wicket blitz saw the West Indies finish on a high.

Batting from No.11, Obed McCoy finished as the West Indies topscorer, hitting 23 not out from 15 balls as part of a last-wicket stand worth an unbeaten 38 with Hayden Walsh Jr (10 not out).

But it was a case of too little too late for the hosts, who finished their 20 overs 90 runs shy of their target for their second loss in succession.

At the very least, the West Indies avoided falling to their biggest loss against the Blackcaps, which came in the 119-run defeat at Mt Maunganui in 2018.

New Zealand 215/5 (Phillips 76, Mitchell 48, Conway 42; McCoy 3/40) West Indies 125/9 (McCoy 23 not out; Santner 3/15, Bracewell 3/15)

New Zealand win by 90 runs

Join us at 6:30am Monday for live updates of the third Blackcaps v West Indies T20