West Indies beat New Zealand in Super Over

West Indies knocked New Zealand out of the World Twenty20 in a dramatic Super Over yesterday after their group one match finished in a tie.

Both teams were locked at 139 after 40 overs at Pallekele Stadium, sending the match to the tense Super Over decider. New Zealand scored a challenging 17 off their six balls with Ross Taylor hitting a six off Marlon Samuels.

But West Indies reached the target with a ball to spare as Samuels smashed the winning six off Tim Southee to keep his team in contention for a semi-final place.

Party time: West Indies players celebrate their Super Over win against New Zealand at Pallekele Cricket Stadium in Kandy yesterday. Pic/Getty Images

"Samuels is my go-to man in pressure situations, he's suffering from a bad shoulder so that's why he doesn't bowl more," said West Indies captain Darren Sammy of the all-rounder. "It was a great fight-back and I am very happy at that."

A disappointed Taylor rued New Zealand's missed opportunity - but admitted that the West Indies' Super Over was "pretty awesome".

"We probably should have won it in normal time. Credit to West Indies, to score 18 of five balls is pretty awesome. When the first ball is a no-ball that goes for six it ruins the over," said Taylor.

"That's cricket and we're going home now."

The breathless finish came after Southee (3-21) and Doug Bracewell (3-31) restricted the West Indian innings to 139 in 19.3 overs, before Taylor's unbeaten 62 kept New Zealand in with a chance for an upset win. With New Zealand needing 14 off the last over, Taylor hit a six off the fourth delivery bowled by Samuels but managed a single on the penultimate ball as New Zealand needed two off the last.

Doug Bracewell hit the final delivery but was run out while taking a second run, as the West Indian players celebrated jubilantly. Sunil Narine took 3-20 off his four overs to keep New Zealand in check. Taylor hit three sixes and as many fours off 40 balls.

Earlier, Southee and Bracewell rocked the West Indian batting after Darren Sammy won the toss.

Chris Gayle top-scored with a fluent 30 while Kieron Pollard (28) and Samuels (24) also chipped in with useful contributions, but none of the batsmen could capitalise on their good starts.

Off-spinner Nathan McCullum finished with 2-19, dismissing Samuels and Darren Bravo (16) as the West Indies lost three wickets in the space of just 15 runs.