AUCKLAND, New Zealand — West Indies all-rounder Romario Shepherd believes his team can regroup and strike back after their narrow three-run defeat to New Zealand in Thursday’s second T20 International at Eden Park.
Chasing a formidable 208 for victory, the visitors found themselves reeling at 93 for six in the 13th over before launching a spectacular late assault. Rovman Powell’s blistering 45 off 16 balls, Shepherd’s own 34 off 16, and Matthew Forde’s unbeaten 29 from 13 deliveries nearly pulled off a heist that would have stunned the home crowd.
In the end, West Indies needed six runs from the final three balls but fell agonizingly short, finishing on 204 for eight. Their 87-run surge in the final five overs was not only electrifying but also a record for any Full Member nation in a T20I chase — a testament to their power-hitting prowess even in defeat.
“A tough one to swallow”
Speaking after the game, Shepherd admitted the loss stung deeply but urged his teammates to keep their focus ahead of Saturday’s series decider at Saxton Oval in Nelson.
“Sometimes a close game can hurt you because you can look at so many areas where you could have pulled back six runs, or where you could have bowled a better over or played a better shot off a certain ball,” Shepherd reflected. “But it is what it’s supposed to be, so hopefully, next game we can pull off a win.”
The Guyanese all-rounder noted that the Eden Park surface offered far more for batters than in the opening encounter, allowing both sides to unleash their stroke play freely.
“On this ground it was a good wicket — a better wicket than the first game, and it showed that,” he said. “We know what we’re capable of in the back end, and we showed that tonight. We wanted a better start, but all in all, the game goes how it went, so hopefully, in the future, we can plan our innings a bit better and set up the game so we can finish.”
Eyes on redemption in Nelson
Despite the disappointment, Shepherd remained upbeat about the team’s prospects in the decisive third match, pointing to the high-scoring conditions that have defined the series so far.
“We all know how good the wickets are in New Zealand and how small the boundaries are, so you have to be on the ball each and every delivery — whether you’re bowling or batting — because 200 is not enough anymore in T20 cricket these days,” he explained.
Looking ahead to Saturday’s clash, Shepherd added, “It’s a new venue, a new challenge, so hopefully, we can start well like we did on Wednesday night.”
Lessons in resilience
Though the West Indies came up short, their spirited fightback underscored a newfound resilience and depth in their batting order — qualities Shepherd believes will serve them well in the deciding match.
With momentum and pride on the line, the Caribbean side will look to turn heartbreak into redemption and close out the series in style.
