The White Ferns have fallen agonisingly short in their Twenty20 series opener against the West Indies, despite an impressive late cameo from tailender Hannah Rowe at Antigua.
Needing 20 off the final over, Rowe struck three boundaries, including a six off the final ball, but it wasn't enough, as New Zealand fell to a one-run defeat.
After being sent into bat by White Ferns captain Sophie Devine, the hosts looked on track for an imposing target, but lost their last five wickets for just 12 runs.
West Indies No.3 batter Aaliyah Alleyne was called upon after just two balls, with Fran Jonas picking up the wicket of Natasha McLean (0) in the opening over.
Alleyne (49) and captain Hayley Matthews (15) put on a game-high 66-run partnership to have their side 67/1 after nine overs.
But just as it seemed the pair had laid the foundation for a huge total, the NZ bowlers struck - and struck regularly.
Leg-break spinner Amelia Kerr grabbed the wicket of Matthews, before Jonas was into the action again to remove next batter Chedean Nation for just two runs.
Kerr snared a further two wickets to finish with 3/16, with Devine chipping in a couple of her own, as the West Indies slumped to 115 off their 20 overs.
New Zealand's chase got off to a better start than their opponents, but unlike them, they weren't able to build any partnerships.
Devine looked the steadiest of the top order, but her wicket brought collapse her team never really recovered from.
Suzie Bates (5) and Georgia Plimmer (2) both fell cheaply, before Devine was caught for 23 runs, as the White Ferns slumped to 32/3 after just five overs.
Wickets continued to tumble, with Kerr (3), Maddy Green (11), Lauren Down (11) and Hayley Jensen (7) all falling for little contribution.
However, their wickets brought Rowe to the crease with New Zealand 69/7 after 12 overs, still needing 47 runs to win.
Lea Tahuhu (7) was next to fall, but a 21-run partnership between Rowe and wicketkeeper Isabella Gaze put them in position for an unlikely victory.
Gaze (15) was bowled in the penultimate over, but Jonas did enough to see off the remaining two balls to leave it for Rowe with all to do still.
Rowe struck the first ball for four runs, before a couple of singles between her and Jonas meant New Zealand needed 12 off the final two deliveries.
She found the boundary with the second-to-last ball, but could only inside-edge it for four runs, before lofting the final delivery for a huge six, as the White Ferns fell to a narrow defeat.
West Indies 115 (Alleyne 49, Matthews 15, Rashada Williams 15; Kerr 3/16, Jonas 2/13)
New Zealand 114/9 (Devine 23, Rowe 27, Gaze 15; Chinelle Henry 3/26, Afy Fletcher 2/18)
