Hong Kong, Ireland and Zimbabwe were all overwhelmed by much stronger opposition in Sunday's third-round matches, but in Palmerston North West Indies and Bangladesh produced the most thrilling contest of the competition so far, the West Indians ultimately prevailing by just one run with only two deliveries remaining.

It was an outcome that had not seemed likely when a run-out off the very first ball of the match, followed by two wickets for Shaker Ahmed, saw the West Indies, who had won the toss and elected to bat, reduced to 20 for three in less than six overs. But then a solid batting performance from the middle order got the innings back on track.

Andre Creary (55) and Yannic Cariah (44) put on 89 for the fourth wicket, Shane Dowrich contributed a valuable 35, and then Akeem Dewar (39) and Jermaine Blackwood (48 from 28 balls, with two fours and four sixes) added 70 in less than eight overs as the batsmen took full advantage of their powerplay, getting the total up to 249 for eight.

The Bangladeshi top order found the going tough, and by the time slow left-armer Jomel Warrican and leg-spinner Akeem Dewar had reduced them to 114 for five in the 31st over they were behind the required rate and in serious trouble.

Shabbir Rahman and Tasamul Hoque rescued their side, however, with a fine stand of 73 at just over a run a ball, before Cariah accounted for Shabbir for an excellent 53. He then removed Nur Hossain in his next over, and Bangladesh were struggling again. Tasam continued to bat well, though, and despite the run-out of Alauddin Babu with the score on 225, he and Hasan Raju began the final over with seven runs needed for victory and two wickets in hand.

A single came from Jason Holder's first ball. Tasam hit Jason Holder's second delivery to the boundary, but he was bowled by the third, and Bangladesh needed two from three. With the pressure on, Shaker Ahmed attempted to take a bye which would have levelled the scores and given Raju the strike, but keeper Shane Dowrich kept his head and completed the run out. West Indies had made it by a single run.

Cariah won the Man of the Match award for his all-round effort.

There was no such excitement in the other two matches, both of which were cut to 34 overs a side after a prolonged period of rain in the Christchurch region.

Put in by India at Hagley Oval, Hong Kong battled their way to 143 before they were all out off the penultimate ball of their allotted overs, skipper Jamie Atkinson making 39 and Mark Chapman and Wakas Barkat contributing 27 apiece. Aizaz Khan smacked an 11-ball 23 to give the total a semblance of respectability, but it never seemed likely to be enough.

Sandeep Sharma claimed three for 11 from his seven over spell as Hong Kong slumped to 17 for four early on, while left-arm spinner Gaurav Jathar took three for 27.

Lokesh Rahul and Mayank Agarwal then raced to 119 from less than 19 overs before Agarwal fell to Irfan Ahmed for 63, made from 56 balls with six fours and a six, and Rahul and Mandeep Singh completed the victory without further loss. Rahul finished on 62 not out, but it was Sharma who took the Man of the Watch award for his devastating opening spell.

It was a similar story at Lincoln's Bert Sutcliffe Oval where Zimbabwe, asked to bat first by Sri Lanka, could only manage 121. Even that had seemed improbable when quick men Chatura Peiris, Kasun Madushanka and Charith Jayampathi ripped through the top of the order, and the Zimbabweans found themselves on 20 for six in less than 15 overs.

Tinotenda Mutombodzi more than doubled the score in partnership with Nathan Waller, and then he and Simon Mugava doubled it again. Mutombodzi was there to the end, making an invaluable not-out 42 before he ran out of partners in the last of Zimbabwe's 34 overs.

Jayampathi was the pick of the bowlers with four for 26, while Peiris had three for 14.

Waller struck twice when Sri Lanka replied, but with Udara Jayasundera making a steady 30 and Banuka Rajapaksa seeing them through with an undefeated 49, made from 43 deliveries with ten boundaries and earning him the Man of the Match award, they secured an untroubled eight-wicket victory in the 25th over.