NELSON: Half-centuries by Glenn Phillips and Colin Munro and Mitchell Santner's blazing final over lifted New Zealand to 187 for seven in the opening Twenty20 against West Indies on Friday.
Twenty-five runs off the final six balls spoiled what had otherwise been a tight West Indies bowling effort led by Captain Carlos Brathwaite.
Brathwaite took two for 38 and also claimed a classy catch on the boundary to remove Munro for 53.
Munro and Glenn Phillips (56) put on 86 for New Zealand's second wicket, but the remainder of the line up struggled to penetrate until the late lash by Santner supported by Tim Southee.
Jerome Taylor had the satisfaction of removing Martin Guptill with the third ball of his first over but otherwise struggled with his line which saw New Zealand plunder 16 off his second over to get their innings moving.
But any New Zealand thoughts of a bountiful innings quickly evaporated with Brathwaite and Kesrick Williams restricting the scoring largely to singles as New Zealand reached the halfway stage at 81 for one.
Munro, who was dropped by Brathwaite on 21, smacked a four and two sixes off successive deliveries by Williams to briefly break the stranglehold in the ninth over.
However, his innings finished soon after for 53 when he offered Brathwaite a second chance which was well taken at long-on off the bowling of Ashley Nurse.
Phillips, who put on 86 with Munro for the second wicket, lasted two more overs before he was bowled by Badree for 56.
New Zealand were 162 for seven going into the last over when Santner launched his late salvo to be unbeaten on 23 at the end with Tim Southee not out 10.