Following a difficult 4-1 series loss to top team India, the team narrowly lost its opening match against the Kiwis by 13 runs, thanks in large part to the late-innings heroics of Romario Shepherd and Odean Smith.
Chasing a decent total of 185, the West Indies lost wickets in clusters in the middle overs but Shepherd and Smith added 58 for the seventh wicket. Having cracked a score of 150 just once in the previous series, Pooran found some encouragement in the team’s opener, despite the result.
“I’m happy we are starting to find our template. We know scores above 175, 180 can be tricky for us but we can see that we are actually starting to bat deep,” Pooran said, following the match.
“Guys are actually starting to play the situation a bit smarter. Today Jason was in that position with Shamarh Brooks. I thought both of them batted really well, they just never got that big over that was required, having said that, I think the template is coming nicely,” he added.
The West Indies and New Zealand will play the second match of the series on Friday.
The decision to drop the 27-year-old Hope, after his recent monumental struggles, has divided public opinion. While some believe the player could benefit from time away from the team to address potential confidence and technical issues, others believe the batsman would best be served staying within the system, even if he remains outside of the first team.
Rose, for his part, believes with the team currently in rebuilding mode, nothing will be gained from the talented player being pushed out of the squad at this point.
“They’re rebuilding, how are you going to get rid of the guy (Hope) when you are rebuilding. He’s one of the brightest talents,” Rose told the Mason and Guest radio program.
“West Indies cricket is rebuilding. You cannot chop and change while rebuilding. Shai Hope, one of the best talents in the Caribbean, you just drop him like that. I would have brought him on tour, got him to play a few of the practice games. Even if he doesn’t get to play Test matches. What cricket is he going to play now to get back his confidence?”
Russell was invited to join the team for the upcoming tour of New Zealand but, according to Cricket West Indies (CWI) chief of selectors Roger Harper, declined after claiming he needed space to ‘clear his head’ after having to deal with playing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The player last represented the West Indies on tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year, where his scintillating 40 from 14 deliveries saw him named man-of-the-match.
Even with such brilliant performances under his thumb, Harper insisted he was keeping an eye on things and that emerging talent could make it difficult for the 32-year-old to continually be selected ‘if they take their opportunities.’
“I think as we move forward we will look at all situations, all players and determine whether we need to continue to look at those players, continue to consider those players, or we need to move on,” Harper told members of the media, from the team’s training camp in New Zealand, in reference to the situation.
“A lot of things are determined by how well the team performs. How well the players in the team at the time perform, and the success of the team. I think if players in the team perform exceedingly well, then it will make it difficult for those that are not on the tour to get back into the team. So a lot of things will be taken into consideration as we move forward.”
The West Indies backed into the semi-finals on the weekend when South Africa defeated India by three wickets, a result that eliminated India and sent the West Indies Women into wild celebrations.
However, looking ahead they have a difficult task ahead of them going up against the unbeaten Australians.
“Going into the game we know the quality team that Australia has but at the same time I don’t feel like there’s any pressure on us,” Matthews said in an interview on Sunday.
“We’re playing against the best team in the world and I think we’ve just got to go out there and play our natural game and have fun on the field. I think we perform better when we go out there and just have fun and enjoy ourselves.”
The team's celebrations after India was eliminated went viral and demonstrated just how important it was for the West Indies Women that they were able to advance to the semi-finals.
“It means a whole lot. I think coming into this World Cup, we were definitely underdogs. No one had us in the semi-finals. To be able to come here and exceed expectations has been amazing. Being able to beat some of the bigger teams, obviously, was massive on our list. Just really happy that we were able to get to the semi-finals,” she said.
Matthews is the Windies leading run-scorer and wicket-taker in the tournament so far with 226 runs and 10 wickets, respectively, and will be expected to play a major role if the Caribbean side are to pull off the upset against the Australian juggernaut on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old came to the crease with the hosts teetering at 22-4 in the sixth over after bring put in to bat at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba.
On a pitch that he described as “tacky” and “spongy” in the post-match press conference, Rutherford took his time in the early part of his innings before accelerating to a top score of 68* to help the West Indies post a match-winning 149-9 from their allotted 20 overs.
Rutherford described the innings as perhaps the best of his career, so far.
“I will put it as my best knock. It’s a World Cup. This is my dream. I’ve always wanted to play in a World Cup and this one is going to stay close to my heart. Hopefully, I can continue to take out good innings like this for my team and for myself,” he said.
At the halfway point of the innings, the West Indies were 49-5 and Rutherford says head coach Daren Sammy’s advice was to bat time and take it deep.
“He was just telling me to take it deep. I was batting with Akeal (Hosein) so I told him to keep going but my role was to basically take it to the 15th or 16th over but after we lost wickets I just told myself to try and take it to the 20th over and try and maximize those last two overs which they had to make up with two bowlers,” he said.
The Guyanese hard-hitter was recently a part of the Indian Premier League with the Kolkata Knight Riders and, despite not getting a game, he says he has been using that time to prepare for situations like the one he faced on Wednesday.
“I pattern my game off these situations. Even before the World Cup, I try to put myself in positions in the nets where I have to bat properly and then have to excel in the end so I think it’s good to see that my plans and my work are coming to show,” he said.
He faced a similar situation when the West Indies found themselves 79-5 batting first in the third T20I against Australia in Perth in February.
Rutherford and Andre Russell put on 139 for the sixth wicket with Rutherford finishing 67* off 40 balls.
He says the main thing he took from that innings was the importance of giving himself time at the crease.
“The innings in Australia is one that I kept close to me and, even though it was a good innings, I try to pick a few things out of it. One of the few things was give myself time. It’s always a process and when you look too far ahead you can forget about the process so, for me, it was just ball after ball, give myself time, run singles and get myself ready so that in the back end I can make up,” he said.
Finally, Rutherford made mention of the crowd at the Brian Lara Stadium.
“When batting I try not to worry about the crowd. I just try to look at what’s in front of me and focus on the process but it’s good to have some support. It’s good to have the home crowd with us and hopefully they can keep supporting us,” he said.
The West Indies will next take on Afghanistan at the Daren Sammy Stadium on June 17.
The veteran batsman, who made his Test debut in November 2007 and scored 7,683 runs for the Black Caps in 112 games, enjoyed a fairy tale finish.
Captain Tom Latham invited the occasional off-spinner to have a bowl as New Zealand sought the final wicket they needed to wrap up an innings win.
It was just the eighth Test innings in which Taylor has bowled, and from his third delivery he had Ebadot Hossain caught by Latham at midwicket.
A slog by the Bangladesh number 11 went skywards before Latham showed composure to gather the falling ball.
That gave Taylor a third Test wicket and figures of 1-0, although his best figures remain the 2-4 he took against India in Ahmedabad in 2010.
New Zealand, for whom Latham made 252 in a first-innings total of 521-6, won the Test by an innings and 117 runs after bowling out the visitors for 278 second time around.
After the embarrassing defeat in Mount Maunganui last time out, it meant the two-Test series ended in a draw.
Taylor told broadcaster Spark Sport: "I suppose if you bowl in those situations a bit more often, you get the wicket. It's a great way to finish.
"We needed to win this game to stay in the series. I thought we played fantastically well.
"Bangladesh put us under pressure a lot of times. It's probably a fair reflection of where the series was at.
"But I wanted to finish with the win and the guys definitely gave that to me. The way we came out and bowled and put them under pressure after posting a very good total put us in good stead.
"It was an emotional game for me, my family and friends, and the team-mates as well, but it was good to get the win."
Australia completed their series sweep thanks to a David Warner century and another five-for from Nathan Lyon, as they sealed a resounding 279-run win in the third Test in Sydney.
Warner's unbeaten 111 led Australia to 217-2, Tim Paine declaring with a 415-run lead, and a comprehensive win was secured as the Black Caps were skittled for 136.
Labuschagne, who scored 215 runs in the first innings and hit 59 in the second, finished with 549 runs for the three-match series.
"It's been an amazing summer," he said at the post-match presentation where he was given the man-of-the-match and man-of-the-series awards.
"It's so special to share these moments with your family, who have been part of your journey. It's hard to put [the success] on one thing, but my level of concentration and not doing any silly things.
"A lot of gum but it's working, so why change. I just love the journey and it's been wonderful being part of this Australian team."
Labuschagne, along with Steve Smith and Warner, won praise from Paine, who says he is honoured to captain an Australia side ranked second in the ICC World Test Championship, while adding he hopes success on the pitch provides the nation with some enjoyment amid the ongoing bushfire crisis.
"I am very lucky to captain this group," the captain said. "Batting has become very consistent with Marnus leading this year and Steve and David back.
"It's a pretty simple task for me at times, to be honest. I think we can still get better, there were moments in this series as well when we were not at our best.
"We are really pleased with the progress we have made in the last 12 months but we know have some big series coming up.
"It hasn't been a great few weeks for our country. Our goal as a team is to give the Australians some entertainment. But our thoughts go out to them and firefighters are doing a great job."
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson, meanwhile, acknowledged, his side must learn from their humbling defeat.
"Credit to the Australian team," Williamson said. "They were clinical but they put us under pressure session after session. There's so much to learn from this experience.
"We have a bit of time off, so a bit of regrouping. We were outplayed in all departments. There are number of things to work on and improve upon.
"For a number of guys, it's the first time here and you must appreciate it because you won't get this experience anywhere else."
Rashid Khan's side claimed a third successive win to maintain their perfect start in Group C, which they top ahead of co-hosts West Indies with a superior net run-rate.
Afghanistan chose to bowl and made a fast start in San Fernando, dismissing captain Assad Vala, Lega Siaka and Sese Bau within four balls to leave the Barramundis at 12-3 early in the third over.
Wicketkeeper Kiplin Doriga top-scored with 27, before they were bowled out for 95.
Their opponents were also steady out of the blocks, having been reduced to 22-2 inside the third over.
However, Gulbadin Naib's unbeaten 49 from 36 balls - featuring four fours and two sixes - steadied the ship, while his unbroken stand of 46 with Mohammed Nabi helped get Afghanistan comfortably over the line.
Data Debrief: Farooqi leads the charge to condemn Black Caps to early exit
Fazalhaq Farooqi (3-16) led from Afghanistan's field again, with the tournament's leading wicket taker increasing his tally to 12 from three innings.
The side note to their victory was the sealing of New Zealand's fate with a match to spare.
Runners-up in 2021 and semi-finalists in the last three tournaments, it is the first time the Black Caps have failed to advance beyond the first group stage at the T20 World Cup.
It is now two wins in two for Afghanistan, who enjoyed another impressive opening stand as Rahmanullah Gurbaz plundered 80 off 56 balls, including five fours and five boundaries, with Ibrahim Zardan adding 44.
Azmatullah Omarzai's dismissal for 22 saw Afghanistan stumble, but with a respectable 159-6, it was always going to be hard for New Zealand to chase.
The 2021 runners-up could not find their footing, with only two of their players reaching double figures – Glenn Phillips top-scored with 18.
They stumbled to 75 all out in just 15.2 overs, suffering their first T20 international defeat to Afghanistan, and they drop to the bottom of Group C.
Elsewhere, Bangladesh survived a scare to make a winning start to their campaign, getting a two-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in Dallas.
Pathum Nissanka impressed with 47 off just 28 balls, but a flurry of late wickets saw Sri Lanka stumble to 124-9 after a strong start.
Bangladesh’s chase started poorly, with both openers being dismissed in the first two overs. However, after Towhid Hridoy's 40, and Liton Das' 36, Mahmudullah's 16 not out helped them over the line at the end of the 19th over.
Data Debrief: Dominant Afghanistan strike again
Afghanistan have opened an ICC Men's T20 World Cup campaign with back-to-back wins for just the second time, last doing so in 2016. They have now won their last four T20Is, their longest streak since 2022.
Gurbaz hit 50 for the second game in a row, improving on his 76 runs in their win over Uganada with 80 in this win.
Trailing 2-0 in the five-match series after a nail-biting defeat last time out in Dunedin, Australia produced an impressive response in the third T20I.
Maxwell smashed 70 from 31 balls with captain Aaron Finch adding 69 as Australia posted 208-4 after losing the toss.
Agar took 6-30 as New Zealand slumped to 144 all out in reply, setting up an intriguing fourth match on Friday.
Spin bowler Agar is the first Australia player to record six wickets in a T20 match and only the fourth ever in international cricket.
Australia are looking to avoid a third consecutive T20I series defeat following losses to England and India, while the hosts are seeking a third straight triumph.
The clash on Wednesday went against that formbook, as well as the trend of this series so far, with Finch's 44-ball knock setting the tone.
After Matthew Wade (5) fell early, the skipper - who had not registered a fifty in his previous 26 innings - put on stands of 83 with Josh Philippe (43) and 64 with a rampant Maxwell.
Maxwell scored 62 of his 70 runs in boundaries, with eight fours and five sixes in a devastating display of hitting.
Kane Williamson opted to bowl despite Mitchell Santner being ruled out with a head cold, meaning he was self-isolating as precaution while waiting for a COVID-19 test result.
Ish Sodhi (2-32) was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers, none of whom could stem the flow of runs.
Devon Conway and Martin Guptill had been the batting stars of the first two matches and it was they who briefly gave the hosts hope.
Guptill fired 43 from 27 balls with Conway adding a slightly more measured 38 from 27.
But their hopes of a successful run chase were effectively ended when Agar removed Glenn Phillips (13), Conway and Jimmy Neesham (0) in the space of five balls in the 13th over.
New Zealand – who had been in with a chance at 109-3 - collapsed from there and were all out after 17.1 overs.
In support of Agar, fast bowler Riley Meredith took 2-24, including the key wicket of home captain Williamson (9), as part of an impressive debut for Australia.
India posted 221-4 in Mumbai, with Agarwal 120 not out at stumps after a valiant effort at the top of the order.
All the wickets went to New Zealand's left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel, who at one point reduced India from 80-0 to 80-3 when he removed Shubman Gill for 44 and added the wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara and Kohli in quick succession.
Kohli had spoken on Thursday of being determined to go the "hard yards" where necessary for India's sake, having missed the recent T20I series and the first Test in order to take a breather.
Ajaz had Gill caught by Ross Taylor at slip before bowling Pujara with a heavily turning delivery and getting an lbw verdict to dismiss Kohli, who was not reprieved by a review with no sign of an inside edge.
Partners came and went, but Agarwal - who kept his place in the team while Ajinkya Rahane missed out through injury - ploughed on, making a case to stay in the side for India's next assignments, although Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul may have something to say about that. Rohit has been rested for this series, which Rahul has missed due to injury.
Shreyas Iyer, who had a century and a fifty in the first Test, fell for 18 this time around to end an 80-run partnership for the fourth wicket, and Agarwal and Wriddhiman Saha (25no) put on 61 to guide India through to the close with no further casualties, leaving the deciding match of a two-game series finely poised.
Agarwal earns his place
A cover drive off Daryl Mitchell took Agarwal into three figures, his fourth Test century. He then spanked Ajaz for six from the penultimate ball of the evening to cap an impressive day's effort. Agarwal has converted two of his previous tons into doubles, against South Africa and Bangladesh, and will hope to do the same here, having revealed some words of advice from coach Rahul Dravid.
"He had told me, 'When you get set, make it big'," Agarwal said. "I am happy to have capitalised on the start that I had. But that message was very clear from Rahul, that I should make it count.
"This innings was more about grit and determination, just to stick with the plan and be disciplined. I know I didn't look good sometimes, but I got the job done. Getting runs in this format, the hardest format of the game, is the most satisfying feeling."
Special day for Ajaz
Four wickets anywhere is good going for a bowler, but for Ajaz this doubtless felt particularly special. He was born in Mumbai and emigrated with his family to New Zealand in 1996, going on to make his Test debut in 2018. Now 33 years old, he put India in a spin and will be chasing a third Test five-wicket haul on Saturday.
Patel finished with figures of 10-119 in 47.5 overs in Mumbai, where he was born, as the tourists bowled out India for 325.
It was just the third time in the history of men's Test cricket that a bowler has taken a clean sweep of wickets in a single innings. The previous players to achieve the feat were Jim Laker in 1956 and Anil Kumble in 1999.
Shubman Gill was caught at slip after India had posted a commanding 80 without loss to start the day, and Patel followed up by skittling Cheteshwar Pujara and trapping Virat Kohli lbw – each for a duck – in the same over.
Shreyas Iyer followed before Wriddhiman Saha and Ravichandran Ashwin went in consecutive deliveries, although India had by this time moved to 224-6.
Mayank Agarwal, Axar Patel and Jayant Yadav fell for the loss of 30 more runs, and history was made when Rachin Ravindra caught Mohammed Siraj's high slice.
Australia's Aaron Finch described the innings as "the most amazing thing I've ever seen" while former India star VVS Laxman tweeted to say: "Sensational! Just sensational!! To take all 10 wickets in a Test innings is the stuff dreams are made of."
Former India head coach and all-rounder Ravi Shastri added: "One of the toughest things to do in the game of cricket. To have an entire team in your kitty in an innings is too good to be true. Simply unreal. Well done young man."
The 29-year-old Jamaican, who acquitted himself well during the #Raisethebat tour of England in July, was the second highest scorer on the tour; his 216 runs only bettered by Kane Williamson’s 251 in the first Test that the West Indies lost by an innings and 134 runs.
However, Blackwood’s 216 runs were made in four innings and included his second Test century in the second innings of the first Test. He added a score of 69 in the first innings of the second Test that was more than half of the West Indies total 131 all out.
He averaged 54 for the series, well above his career average of 31.10.
For the rest of the batsman, the tour was a train wreck even though one of the West Indies bowlers might be moving towards a new designation; that of allrounder.
Opener John Campbell was the next best West Indies batsman having scored 110 runs in four innings. He achieved his highest Test score of 68 in the second innings of the second Test which helped prop his average up to 27.5, the same as fast bowler Alzarri Joseph.
The 24-year-old Antiguan also scored 110 runs during the series with a career best 86 made in the first Test. He showed glimpses of his batting potential when he scored 24 from 12 balls as the second Test drew to a close. That cameo included two majestic sixes square of the wicket and a sublime straight drive to the boundary, one of three he struck during his brief stay at the crease.
Captain Jason Holder averaged 34.33 which flattered him as he only scored 103 runs during the series, 61 of which came in his final innings when he and Joshua Da Silva fought in vain to avoid another embarrassing defeat.
Da Silva didn’t do his cause any harm scoring 60 runs in two innings including a well-played 57 in the final Test match. He averaged 30.
By contrast, this was a series that Kraigg Brathwaite and Roston Chase, will quickly want to forget. The former only managed 55 runs at an average of 13.75. It was even worse for Chase who could only muster 17 runs at 4.25.
Shamarh Brooks, who faced 92 balls for just 14 runs in the first innings of the second Test, compiled 53 runs during the series averaging 13.25 per inning. Of note, is that Brooks scored 36 runs in the second innings of the final Test, meaning he scored 50 of his 53 runs in the second Test match at Wellington.
The late Shane Warne and fellow Australian great Glenn McGrath had previously held the record, having combined for 1,001 wickets during their illustrious careers.
It was a record that looked like potentially standing the test of time, with the two Australia legends retiring 16 years ago.
But the England pair moved level with them on day two of the first Test at Bay Oval on Friday when Anderson took 3-36 and Broad finished with figures of 1-72.
That was their 133rd appearance together – Warne and McGrath reached their total in 104 matches.
The record-breaking wicket came in the fourth over of New Zealand's second innings, with the hosts having been set a target of 394 to chase down for an improbable victory.
Broad left New Zealand at 14-1 after his around-the-wicket delivery snuck through Conway's defence, immediately celebrating with Anderson as the duo were well aware of what they had just accomplished.
Broad went on to bowl Kane Williamson in his next over, making it 14-2 after an Anderson maiden in between.
New Zealand was a fitting location for them to reach the landmark, with the pairing having first teamed up together in Wellington way back in 2008.
England's all-time leading wicket taker Anderson and Broad, second on that list, were contentiously dropped for the series in the West Indies earlier this year.
But defeat in that series led to the resignation of captain Joe Root and the departure of head coach Chris Silverwood.
New Zealand legend McCullum was consequently appointed as Silverwood's successor, while star all-rounder Stokes was named as new skipper.
England have turned to the experience of Anderson and Broad as they aim to make a winning start against the Black Caps at Lord's, while Durham seamer Potts – Stokes' county team-mate – is also included in the attack.
Potts is the leading wicket taker in the County Championship this season with 35 and got the nod ahead of Craig Overton.
In-form Yorkshire batsman Harry Brook has to wait for an opportunity, though, with Jonny Bairstow batting at five.
England team to face New Zealand: Zak Crawley, Alex Lees, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Ben Foakes, Matthew Potts, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.
The Black Caps resumed at 63-5 with an improbable target of 394 after Stuart Broad took four wickets with the pink ball in the third day's evening session, but lost another three inside the first four overs on day four to scupper any hopes of a rally.
New Zealand were eventually bowled out for 126 with Daryl Mitchell (57*) the lone hand for the hosts, as James Anderson took four day-four wickets to finish with 4-18 from 10.3 overs.
Veteran right-arm fast bowler Anderson led the way after Jack Leach got the first breakthrough with Michael Bracewell lobbing to Harry Brook at midwicket for 25.
Anderson claimed the wickets of Scott Kuggeleijn lbw and Tim Southee caught by Joe Root at first slip in successive balls in the next over, before also having a driving Neil Wagner caught behind by Ben Foakes.
Mitchell brought up his sixth Test half-century during a 35-run 10th-wicket partnership with Blair Tickner which lasted almost an hour but merely delayed the end.
Anderson got the final wicket, hitting the top of Tickner's off-stump to round out an emphatic victory before the lunch break.
The second Test is in Wellington starting on Friday.
Anderson and Broad extend record
Anderson and Broad made history on Saturday, breaking Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath's record for the most wickets playing together, which stood at 1,001.
Broad's four wickets on Saturday took them to 1,005, while 40-year-old Anderson's quartet on Sunday extended that further to 1,009.
Brook named best afield
There was no genuine standout performer for England throughout the match, but Brook was named Player of the Match for his scores of 89 and 54.
The honour came in only Brook's fifth Test for England, with his natural talent on display, managing a strike rate of 117.2 across his two innings.
Ben Duckett struck a rapid 84 off only 68 balls and Harry Brook made a majestic 89 from 81 deliveries as the tourists put 325 runs on the board from 58.2 overs before Stokes ended the innings at Bay Oval.
The Black Caps were in trouble on 37-3 at stumps in the day-night match in Mount Maunganui, the outstanding Anderson taking 2-10 after Ollie Robinson got rid of Tom Latham.
Tim Southee asked England to bat first at the start of a two-match series that got under way following great work from the ground staff so soon after Cyclone Gabrielle had passed through.
Southee got rid of Zak Crawley early on with the pink ball, but the aggressive Duckett and Ollie Pope put on 99 for the second wicket.
Duckett fell before lunch when he struck debutant Blair Tickner to Michael Bracewell and Pope was dismissed by Southee (2-71) for 42 before Neil Wagner removed Joe Root (14).
England were 209-5 when Scott Kuggeleijn (2-80) claimed the scalp of Stokes on debut, but Brook raced to a 43-ball half-century as he put on 89 with Ben Foakes in quick time.
Brook missed out on making it four hundreds in as many Tests when he dragged on to a delivery from Wagner, who also saw the back of Foakes (38) and Jack Leach before Stokes declared.
Robinson then had Latham caught at short leg, with Anderson generating movement off the seam and through the air as he trapped Kane Williamson leg before and had Henry Nicholls caught by Crawley in the slips.
Devon Conway was still there at the close after being dropped by Crawley on nine and nightwatchman Wagner did his job, but it was England's day.
Duckett and Brook stay in one-day mode
Opener Duckett and Brook have grabbed their chance with both hands after coming into the Test side last year, piling on the runs in a historic 3-0 series win in Pakistan.
Duckett set the tempo at the top of the order, putting the bowlers under pressure as he crashed 14 boundaries in a swashbuckling knock.
Brook then took centre stage once again, showing his class as he found the rope 15 times and struck Tim Southee for a glorious six down the ground.
Anderson puts deadly duo on verge of history
England's legendary duo of Anderson and Stuart Broad came into this match closing in on become the most successful bowling partnership in Test history.
Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath combined to claim 1,001 when they were in the same Australia team.
Two scalps for Anderson moved the evergreen seamer and Broad on to 999, within touching distance of setting a new record.
The England bowler, who first became the world number one in May 2016, tops the list for the sixth time in his career after seven wickets in the first Test with New Zealand.
Figures of 3-36 and 4-18 as the tourists recorded a 267-run victory in Mount Maunganui means Anderson dethrones Australia captain Cummins.
The 40-year-old was last at the summit in November 2018, and in returning there, becomes the oldest bowler to reach the top of the rankings since Clarrie Grimmett in 1936.
It marks the latest achievement for Anderson set during England's time in New Zealand, having also become the record holder for the highest Test wicket bowling partnership alongside Stuart Broad.
The pair dethroned Australia duo Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath for the pair of team-mates with the most Test wickets between them while playing together, with 1,009 to date.
Cummins meanwhile drops to third overall in the rankings, with India's Ravichandran Ashwin moving into second after taking six wickets during the latter's second Test victory against the former's side.
Elsewhere in the Test Player rankings, England trio Ollie Pope, Harry Brook and Ben Duckett have all moved up double-digits among batters after impressing in New Zealand.
There is no movement, however, amid the upper tier of the list, with Australia's Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith continuing to lock out the top two spots, ahead of Pakistan's Babar Azam.
Joe Root set the tone on Monday by reverse scooping his second ball against Tim Southee for six, with England looking to score quickly to overturn an 80-run deficit.
Root fell on 176 shortly after, caught at cover off Trent Boult's bowling, while Stuart Broad (nine) followed to Michael Bracewell and Ben Foakes was run out after posting 56.
Boult completed his 10th five-wicket Test haul by bowling Matthew Potts (three) before Bracewell (3-62) dismissed Anderson (nine), with England all out for 539 – only trailing by 14 runs.
Anderson made a bright start as Tom Latham (four) left a straight one to hand the seamer his landmark dismissal, before Will Young and Devon Conway steadied the ship.
Conway's resistance ended when he fell for 52, caught attempting to sweep Jack Leach (1-78), before Henry Nicholls (three) directed a wide Potts ball to Alex Lees at gully.
England were boosted when a mix-up saw Young (56) run out, which brought Tom Blundell together with Daryl Mitchell, the pair who shared 236 in the first innings.
Blundell was then caught off a Stuart Broad (1-53) bouncer on 24, while Bracewell made a brisk 25 before being removed by Potts (2-32) and Southee (nought) was another to be needlessly run out.
Mitchell finished unbeaten on 32 alongside Matt Henry (eight not out), with New Zealand on 224-7, leading by 238 to tee up an enticing final day where all four results are possible.
Awesome Anderson
Anderson shows no sign of relenting in the twilight days of his incredible career, picking up his 650th scalp in red-ball internationals.
Only Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Shane Warne (708), both spinners, have taken more Test wickets than the England seamer across his 19-year international career.
Sorry Southee
Unlike the excellent Boult, who posted 5-106, seaming partner Southee struggled in Nottingham. He failed to grab a wicket from his 32 overs, bowling just one maiden and conceding 154 runs.
Southee became just the fifth New Zealand bowler to concede 150-plus runs without a wicket in an innings, while his wicketless figures were the most expensive in a men's Test match at Trent Bridge.
The visitors resumed on Saturday at 315-3 with Harry Brook and Joe Root at the crease, with Brook only adding two more runs to reach 186 off 176 deliveries before getting caught-and-bowled by Matt Henry.
Root, who picked things up at 101 not-out, made his way to 153 not-out from 224 deliveries. After just 28 of his first 101 runs came via boundaries (seven fours), he put the foot down on day two, with 32 of his 52 runs resulting from three fours and three sixes.
New Zealand quick Neil Wagner caused Ben Stokes to mistime a pull shot and lob an easy one to mid-off on 27, and spinner Michael Bracewell removed Ben Foakes (duck) and Stuart Broad (14).
Henry came back in and collected his fourth wicket, dismissing Ollie Robinson for 18, and with England at 435-8 they decided to declare and have a bowl in swinging conditions.
The decision paid early dividends, with Anderson starting like a house on fire.
Anderson got the wicket of opener Devon Conway (duck) in the first over, with a review finding the faintest of edges through to Foakes behind the stumps.
England's all-time leading wicket taker then caught the edge of Black Caps talisman Kane Williamson (four), and Foakes had three catches by the ninth over after Anderson removed Will Young (two).
Anderson's onslaught left New Zealand at 21-3 – the same mark England were before Brook and Root's heroic partnership – but there was little resistance waiting in the wings, as Jack Leach took three wickets and Broad nabbed one to make it 138-7.
For the second day in a row stumps were called hours before the scheduled finish time due to heavy rain, and the weather may be the hosts' only chance of salvaging a result.
Brook second to Bradman
Despite only mustering two more runs after resuming play, Brook's 186 raised his average to 89.88 from nine innings.
Among all players with at least five Test innings, Brook's average is second to only Sir Donald Bradman (99.94).
Anderson's bread and butter
All three of Anderson's early wickets were caught behind by the wicketkeeper – a familiar sight for the legendary quick.
No player has ever registered more dismissals via that method, with Anderson's 191 now giving him 39 more than second-placed Glenn McGrath.
Among the top-five – McGrath, Broad, Courtney Walsh and Dale Steyn – Anderson's percentage of wickets caught behind (27.88 per cent) is the highest.
