Shemaine Campbelle played a remarkable innings, scoring an unbeaten 90 runs to help West Indies Women secure a thrilling seven-wicket win over New Zealand Women in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 opener. This victory marked the second-highest successful run chase in the history of Women’s T20 World Cup matches. Campbelle’s aggressive yet composed batting, including seven fours and three sixes, was instrumental in West Indies’ triumph.
In response to New Zealand’s challenging total of 162/6, West Indies successfully chased down the target with just one ball to spare. Campbelle’s stellar performance, which included her highest score in Women’s T20 Internationals, ensured a dramatic finish to the game. This win also served as redemption for West Indies following their loss to New Zealand in the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final.
New Zealand’s innings saw Maddy Green contributing significantly with an unbeaten 35 off 22 deliveries, aiding her team in posting a competitive total. Aaliyah Alleyne of West Indies emerged as a key player with the ball, delivering career-best T20I figures of 4/27. Alleyne’s crucial wickets, including that of Brooke Halliday for 40 runs, restricted New Zealand from accelerating their scoring rate.
With this victory, West Indies kick-started their World Cup campaign on a high note, sending a strong message to their competitors in the tournament.
