The China Mail - Chapman blitz leads Black Caps to tight T20 victory over West Indies

Chapman blitzed 78 from just 28 balls as New Zealand made 207-5 batting first at Eden Park, but brilliant power hitting from Romario Shepherd, Rovman Powell and Matthew Forde almost brought West Indies home.

Forde needed a boundary from the final ball to secure at least a tie, but could only manage a single.

The five-match series is level at 1-1.

West Indies captain Shai Hope won the toss and chose to field on the same pitch that tested the batters in Wednesday's first match.

The pitch played much the same for the majority of New Zealand's innings as they struggled to 81-2 after 12 overs.

Chapman was 12 from nine balls at the time, struggling for timing on a pitch that was two-paced and tricky when bowlers pitched short.

But then the timing fell into place and Chapman scored 66 runs from his next 19 balls.

He blasted seven sixes and six fours, with three of the next four overs hit for more than 20 runs.

West Indies conceded 126 runs from the last eight overs of the innings, Daryl Mitchell making 28 from 14 and captain Mitchell Santner 18 from 8.

Jacob Duffy then struck in the first over of the West Indies' innings, removing Brandon King for a three-ball duck.

Ish Sodhi, back in the New Zealand side in place of James Neesham, took two wickets in his first two overs, leaving West Indies on 71-3 at the halfway stage.

Powell and Shepherd then put the visitors back on track, Shepherd hammering 34 from 16 balls and Powell blasting 45 from the same number of deliveries.

Forde also belted 29 from 13 balls in the closing overs.

Sodhi ended with 3-39 and Santner took 3-31.

The third game of the five-match series is in Nelson on Sunday.

V.Liu--ThChM