West Indies are a one-man batting show

For a team who have lost six straight games, the West Indies are getting a lot of respect from New Zealand.

Of course, most of it comes from the cliched nature of athlete interviews, where teams are careful not to give their opponents unnecessary motivation. New Zealand could be playing Equatorial Guinea, and you would hear the usual babble of how it is "important not to underestimate them".

Yet, while the nature of Twenty20 cricket means that the West Indies are indeed a reasonable chance of victory, the reason for the hosts' cautious respect comes largely due to one man - Chris Gayle.

When Kane Williamson gives the West Indies credit, it seems more based on an understanding of how dangerous Gayle can single-handedly swing a contest.

"The West Indies T20 side is one of the best in the world and we know at any time they can turn it on," said the returning Black Caps captain.

While their historical accolades back up Williamson's viewpoint, the West Indies' talent suggests otherwise.

Just three players remain from their 2016 Twenty20 World Cup winning side, replaced by a competent, but less powerful bunch.

Gone are the likes of Johnson Charles, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell and Darren Sammy, replaced by a group of capable strokeplayers who have yet to prove that they can score as quickly as the format demands.

Veteran West Indian spinner Samuel Badree is understandably confident in his teammates' abilities to support Gayle.

"We've got some quality batters all the way through. I don't think we're reliant too much on him."