Campbelle leads undermanned windies to stunning win

West Indies claimed a major early scalp at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, edging defending champions New Zealand in a dramatic final‑over finish in Southampton. With Chinelle Henry and Stafanie Taylor unavailable, Shemaine Campbelle delivered a career‑defining innings, striking an unbeaten 90 off 62 balls to complete the chase with one ball left.

Campbelle said Hayley Matthews encouraged her to trust her strengths, and the captain later praised her composure, stressing the importance of having a set batter as the run rate tightened. Matthews also highlighted key contributions from Aaliyah Alleyne and Afy Fletcher, noting the team’s collective effort and the confidence it brings ahead of their next match against Scotland.

New Zealand were undone by uncharacteristic fielding errors, dropping multiple chances that proved costly. Melie Kerr admitted the missed opportunities were decisive and urged her side to reset quickly before facing Sri Lanka.