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Preview: Still unsure about Chris Gayle’s fitness, the West Indies will have to overcome their erratic play to have any chance against underdogs-turned-favourites New Zealand in the fourth quarterfinal of the ICC Cricket World Cup. Both teams have taken contrasting routes to reach the last eight stage with New Zealand winning all their six pool games and West Indies scraping through as the fourth placed team from Group B. An unpredictable West Indies need Gayle for the crucial knock-out game even as captain Jason Holder said a final call on the dangerous opener will be taken not before match day morning. [caption id=“attachment_2164835” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Both teams have taken contrasting routes to reach the last eight stage with New Zealand winning all their six pool games and West Indies scraping through. AFP[/caption] “He has an injection and a scan. The scan didn’t show anything major, so we’ll just see how he pulls up today and make a decision tomorrow morning,” the skipper said. Gayle, however, trained for the first time this week this morning after receiving an injection in his lower back. Though dispelling the notion that West Indies were overtly dependant on Gayle, Holder said any team would love to have the left-hander on board. “Well, obviously Chris’s stats speak for themselves. He is one of the most feared batsmen in world cricket. So to have Chris on the squad is a plus for anybody. So to have him there, just his presence, is something. “Having said that, we won the last game without him, so I can’t say we can’t win without him, you know? Obviously he has been a very good player for us over the years. But it has been shown that we have got people to fit the bill. We have got Johnson Charles who came in the last game and he got a half-century and looked the part,” said Holder. The captain himself has been a key player for the West Indies, performing both with the bat and ball in the side’s three wins and as many losses in the group stage. While West Indies have little to lose, New Zealand are bound to feel the pressure of expectations as the tournament co-hosts. They showed imperious form in the league phase, running through opponents barring the thrilling one-wicket win over Australia. The onus will be on Brendon McCullum to give his team another blazing start. While captaining on the field, he would expect his pacers to carry on with their good work. It is a knockout match but McCullum promised New Zealand will continue to play aggressive cricket. “We need to go out and play that attacking brand of cricket we have exhibited throughout,” said McCullum. “It doesn’t guarantee us success, and I have said that all the way along, but it definitely gives the team the best opportunity of being successful.” New Zealand (from): Brendon McCullum (captain), Trent Boult, Grant Elliott, Tom Latham, Martin Guptill, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Adam Milne, Daniel Vettori, Kane Williamson, Corey Anderson, Tim Southee, Luke Ronchi, Ross Taylor West Indies (from): Jason Holder (captain), Marlon Samuels, Sulieman Benn, Johnson Charles, Jonathan Carter, Sheldon Cottrell, Chris Gayle, Denesh Ramdin, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Darren Sammy, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, Jerome Taylor, Nikita Miller. Match starts 6:30am (IST). PTI
World Cup, New Zealand vs West Indies as it happened: Kiwis crush West Indies by 143 runs
Follow live scores and updates as New Zealand take on West Indies in the World Cup quarters.
 "World Cup, New Zealand vs West Indies as it happened: Kiwis crush West Indies by 143 runs")
Largest victory margins in WC knockout matches by runs
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) March 21, 2015
143 NZ v WI today
125 Aus v Ind Johannesburg 2003 Final #bbccricket
That’s it! New Zealand crush West Indies by 143 runs. West Indies 250 all out!
OUT! Holder holes out to long off off Vettori.
Holder smacks a pull over mid-wicket for a boundary. Benn then goes for a wild swing and gets an inside edge past the leg stump for a streaky four. He then smashes one over mid on for another four. But Holder holes out to long off in the next over. At least, West Indies have overtaken Guptill’s score.
After 29 overs, West Indies 237/9 (Holder 37, Benn 1)
Holder is absolutely smacking them. He hammers a pull through mid-wicket, then lofts one over mid on and then cracks one over extra cover for 3 consecutive fours. 16 runs off the over.
One minor aspect West Indies are ahead: 16 sixes (in 217 runs) v NZ's 15 sixes (in 393) http://t.co/Hx30cP4Vx6 #CWC15
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) March 21, 2015
After 28 overs, West Indies 221/9 (Holder 23, Benn 0)
A wicket maiden from Southee. New Zealand are closing in on a big one here.
OUT! Taylor flicks one straight to mid-wicket. J Taylor c Guptill b Southee 11 (12b 2×4 0x6), West Indies 221/9 (28)
Very full on middle from Southee, Taylor stays in his crease and flicks it straight to mid-wicket. The umpires refer upstairs for a bump ball buut replays show it’s fine.
Sulieman Benn is the new batsman.
After 27 overs, West Indies 221/8 (Holder 23, Taylor 11)
Good over from Vettori, just four singles off it.
After 26 overs, West Indies 217/8 (Holder 21, Taylor 9)
Southee picked up the wicket of Russell but got smacked for a couple of fours by Taylor and then s huge six by Holder. 16 runs and a wicket off the over.
OUT! Southee has Russell’s off stump cartwheeling. West Indies 201/8 (25.1)
A tad full on off, Russell stays in his crease and goes for a wild heave but misses it completely. The off stump goes cartwheeling. The Kiwis are closing in on big win.
Jerome Taylor is the new batsman.
After 25 overs, West Indies 201/7 (Russell 20, Holder 14)
The 200 comes up for West Indies. The skipper gets into the act as he lofts Vettori over long on for a six. Four singles off the next four balls make it 10 runs from the over.
If there is one batsman who can chase 203 in the next 26 overs it is Andre Russell#NZvWI#CWC15
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) March 21, 2015
After 24 overs, West Indies 191/7 (Russell 18, Holder 6)
Russell looking ominous now. Holder at first gets an outside edge wide of firt slip for a streaky boundary. Rulles then smacks a pull over deep mid-wicket for a six. He then smashes one over point for consecutive sixes. 17 runs off the over.
After 23 overs, West Indies 174/7 (Russell 5, Holder 1)
Another good over from Vettori. He’s come back really hard and has taken the wicket of Carter too. Just two runs off the over and a wicket.
OUT! Vettori strikes! J Carter b Vettori 32 (39b 4×4 1×6), After 22.3 overs, West Indies 173/7 (Russell 6)
A brilliant yorker and Carter can’t believe it. An arm ball in the blockhole. It’s fast and Carter doesn’t manage to dig out. It clips the off stump and the keeper sets off in celebrations. Carter can’t believe he has missed it.
jason Holder is the new batsman.
After 22 overs, West Indies 172/6 (Carter 31, Russell 5)
Russell starts off as he clobbers a pull through mid-wicket for a boundary. But overall, a successful over, 7 runs and a wicket off it.
OUT! Anderson strikes in his first over! D Sammy c Ronchi b Anderson 27 (16b 3×4 1×6) , After 21.1 overs, West Indies 166/6 (Carter 31)
Short delivery on off, Sammy goes for a pull but gets a top edge high in the air, Ronchi calls for it, settles under it and pouches it calmly.
Andre Russell is the new batsman.
Darren Sammy - what a character! http://t.co/bXJr1hVtcm #NZvWI #CWC15 @darrensammy88 pic.twitter.com/lu4zz1GiYd
— CODE Cricket (@codecricketau) March 21, 2015
After 21 overs, West Indies 165/5 (Carter 31, Sammy 27)
Good comeback from Vettori. After being hit for 17 runs in his last over, he conceded just 4 runs this time.
After 20 overs, West Indies 161/5 (Carter 29, Sammy 25)
After four runs off the first four ballls, Sammy hammers one over long off for a brilliant six. Boult responds with a brilliant bouncer, Sammy just about ducks under it but falls over in process. He gets up and has a smile, gives a thumbs up to Boult who has a smile on his face. Boult has become just the second bowler after Holder to bowl ten over on the trot. A fantastic spell – 10-3-44-4.
After 19 overs, West Indies 151/5 (Carter 26, Sammy 18)
Vettori proving expensive today. Sammy at first smashes it over extra cover for a boundary and then Carter hammers him over deep mid-wicket for a six. Carter then crashes one through covers for a four. 17 runs off the over.
After 18 overs, West Indies 134/5 (Carter 15, Sammy 12)
Another wolderful over from Boult. He beats Sammy’s outside edge with a wonderful outswinger and then darts in a couple of brilliant yorkers which are dug out by Sammy and Carter respectively. Just 2 runs off the over.
After 17 overs, West Indies 132/5 (Carter 14, Sammy 11)
After the wicket of Gayle, Sammy starts off well as he crashes his first delivery through covers for a boundary and then drives the next one through the same area for consecutive fours. The Kiwis are diving around in the field and making some fantastic stops. 12 runs and a wicket off it.
OUT! Milne gets the big fish! C Gayle b Milne 61 (33b 2×4 8×6) , After 16.1 overs, West Indies 120/5 (Carter 12)
The off stumps goes cartwheeling. Gayle departs. Length delivery on off, Gayle rocks back and looks to pull but it’s not that short. He gets an inside edge onto the stumps and the off stumps is knocked out. Gayle departs for 61 off 33 balls.
Darren Sammy is the new batsman.
After 16 overs, West Indies 120/4 (Gayle 61, Carter 13)
Boult is still getting it to swing and McCullum has done well to give him an extended spell. Boult bowls one short and Carter pulls it through mid-wicket for a four but Boult hits back to beat him with a beautiful outswinger. 5 runs off the over.
After 15 overs, West Indies 115/4 (Gayle 60, Carter 9)
Gayle is playing one-dimensional cricket. Another six over deep mid-wicket makes it 59 of his 60 runs in that leg side area. A good comeback from Milne as he concedes just one run after that six.
Chris Gayle is the first player to hit 7 sixes in his first 50 runs of an ODI innings.
— Andrew Samson (@AWSStats) March 21, 2015
26 - Just one of Chris Gayle's runs in his 50 came on the off side. Hindered. pic.twitter.com/WMvGLYo1oB
— OptaJason (@OptaJason) March 21, 2015
After 14 overs, West Indies 108/4 (Gayle 53, Carter 9)
Boult is bowling another beautiful spell. He beat Carter’s outside edge with a lovely outswinger and then ended with a terrific yorker which Carter did well to dig out. A maiden over from Boult.
After 13 overs, West Indies 108/4 (Gayle 53, Carter 9)
A good start from Milne. He ramped up good pace. Apart from that poor deliver down the leg side be was good with his lines. 7 runs off the over.
FIFTY for Gayle!
He’s fighting a lone battle. He gets to hsi fifty from just 26 balls. 7 sixes and two fours in his innings so far. He brings up his fifty with a trickle to fine leg for a boundary.
After 12 overs, West Indies 101/4 (Gayle 48, Carter 8)
Boult nearly gets his fifth. He induces an outside edge of Carter but it falls just short of the diving third slip fielder. He then cuts one powerfully through point and crashes one through covers for a couple of boundaries. 9 runs off the over.
After 11 overs, West Indies 92/4 (Gayle 48, Carter 0)
Meanwhile, Gayle is going berserk at the other end. It’s jsut stand and deliver stuff. He pulls it over deep mid-wicket for a six off Southee and then hammers Southee over long on for a massive maximum. 12 runs off the over.
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