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Townsville: New Zealand hit 18 runs from the final over including a last-ball four to secure an unbelievable three-wickets win over West Indies in the ICC U19 World Cup quarter-finals on Monday.
Chasing 238 to win at Endeavour Park in Townsville, New Zealand were 158 for 5 after 42nd over.
But the likes of Cam Fletcher (49 off 72 balls) and Connor Neynens (25 off 18) swung hard at the end before Ish Sodhi (22 not out off 10) made a name for himself under the highest pressure.
Sodhi hit 17 of the 18 last-over runs, including a boundary from the last ball off the bowling of Justin Greaves (1-43) to secure a famous victory.
The Kiwis made a poor start to their run chase, losing Joe Carter (1) in the second over.
West Indies quick Ronsford Beaton (3-47) was proving a threat and also claimed the wicket of Michael Davidson (16), while Will Young (8) fell to Kyle Mayers (3-42).
Ben Horne (59) kept the scoreboard ticking over and alongside Robert O'Donnell (42) gave New Zealand a slim chance of victory with their patient displays.
But when Mayers removed them both, New Zealand looked gone as if they needed 80 runs from the final 48 deliveries of their innings.
Neynens triggered a spell of five boundaries in 10 balls for New Zealand to keep them alive and although he departed in the 48th over, Fletcher was still at the crease.
Beaton bowled superbly in the penultimate over, conceding just four runs, and he had Fletcher caught behind from the final delivery of his excellent spell.
That left New Zealand needing 18 from the final six deliveries and Sodhi – who had only faced five balls previously – hit the first ball for four off Greaves.
He then took a single before the man at the other end, Jacob Duffy (zero not out) scampered through for a leg bye.
The task still seemed beyond New Zealand, needing 12 runs from the final three deliveries, but Sodhi smashed a six before scoring a two that left them needing a last-ball boundary.
And it was Sodhi – who had only scored nine runs in the tournament before the match – who was the hero, hitting a four from the final ball to spark wild celebrations among his team-mates.
Earlier, West Indies made a bright start as Kraigg Brathwaite (53) and Sunil Ambris (35) added a 48-run partnership for the first wicket.
Ambris was caught behind off the bowling of Duffy (2-42) before John Campbell (5) went cheaply.
Anthony Alleyne (26), Kavem Hodge (eight) and Mayers (four) failed to fire in the middle order but it was Akeal Hosein (54) who played a valuable knock as he and Brathwaite steered the West Indies towards a target of above 200.
Derone Davis (26) also chipped in with some late runs but three wickets fell in the final over as they were bowled out for 237 from the final ball of the innings.
New Zealand take on India in the second Semi Final on Thursday August 23.
Brief scores
West Indies Under-19s 237 (Hosein 54, Brathwaite 53, Quinn 3-54)
New Zealand Under-19s 238 for 7 (Horne 59, Fletcher 49, Mayers 3-42, Beaton 3-47)
Result New Zealand Under-19s won by 3 wickets
MOM Ish Sodhi (New Zealand Under-19s)
