NZ vs WI, T20 World Cup: Rutherford, Alzarri Joseph power West Indies into Super 8

Sherfane Rutherford's career-best innings and Alzarri Joseph's bowling lead West Indies to T20 World Cup Super Eight stage.

Sherfane Rutherford smashed a career-best unbeaten half-century before pacer Alzarri Joseph and left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie ripped through the New Zealand line-up to steer West Indies into the T20 World Cup's Super Eight stage with a 13-run win here.

Rutherford came up with the innings of his life, smashing half a dozen sixes and two fours for his 39-ball 68 to lift West Indies to 149 for 9 from 76 for 7 in 12.3 overs after New Zealand opted to bowl in a virtual knock-out Group C fixture.

In reply, West Indies restricted the Kiwis to 136 for 9 with Rutherford's fellow Guyanese Motie returning with splendid figures of 3/25. Joseph turned up the heat lower down the order to become the wrecker-in-chief with his 4/19.

With three wins in a row, the tournament co-hosts qualified for the Super Eight stage, while New Zealand's hopes were all but over following back to back losses.

They had earlier lost to Afghanistan by 84 runs after being shot out for 75. The 2021 runners-up, among the most consistent sides in World Cups, have been found wanting this time.

They made the semi-final in the 2015, 2019 and 2023 editions of the ODI World Cup, and in 2016, 2021 and 2022, the Black Caps ensured a last-four appearance in the T20 World Cups.

It was half past midnight in Trinidad but the locals erupted in joy to celebrate their team's Super Eight qualification, erasing the disappointment of successive setbacks in the big event.