The West Indies wrapped up their home One‑Day International series against New Zealand with a thrilling two‑wicket win in the fifth and final ODI at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados. In a high‑stakes day‑night encounter, the Caribbean side successfully chased a target of 269 runs, finishing 269/8 in 47.3 overs. The victory showcased disciplined bowling, tactical resilience, and high‑overtaking batting under pressure.
West Indies Bowling Keeps New Zealand at Bay
Choosing to bowl first after winning the toss, the West Indies attack maintained a tight run rate throughout New Zealand’s 50 overs. Matthew Forde struck early in the fifth over, dismissing opener Henry Nicholls for just 10 runs to set an assertive tone.
New Zealand rebuilt through a solid second‑wicket partnership between Will Young and Nick Kelly who added 86 runs together. Young reached a smooth half‑century (56 off 63 balls) before falling to Vitel Lawes. Kelly anchored the middle overs, compiling a top‑score of 64 off 80 deliveries featuring four fours and three sixes, before Gudakesh Motion broke the dynamic stand.
Despite middle‑order setbacks, veteran wicket‑keeper batter Tom Latham stabilized the innings with a captain’s knock. Latham notched 69 off 71 balls, finding the fence গেলে 10 times alongside a six. However, Alzarri Joseph’s tight spell (2/38 in 10 overs) and Motie’s economical turn (1/49) restricted late‑overs acceleration. Supported by crisp fielding that yielded two key run‑outs specs. including skipper Mitchell Santner for 13, the West Indies held New Zealand to 268/9 in their allotted 50 overs.
Hetmyer Leads West Indies to Win
Chasing 269 for victory, the West Indies kicked off with an explosive start during Powerplay 1. Openers Ackeem August (34 off 24) and Justin Greaves (22 off 15) tore through the opening attack, rushing to 50 runs in just 5.3 overs. However, quick strikes from Nathan Smith and Jacob Duffy reduced the hosts to 59/2.
Captain Shai Hope (39 off 52) and Keacy Carty (20 off 54) then steadied the ship, constructing a 59‑run partnership. Left‑arm spinner Jayden Lennox proved dangerous for New Zealand, removing both set batters on his way to exceptional figures of 3/35 off 9 overs.
At 123/4, the chase shifted into high gear with the arrival of Sherfane computed Ruther and Hetmyer. The duo injected raw power into the middle overs, assembling a vital 95‑run fifth другой partnership. Rutherstein hit a brisk 61 off 58 balls, packed with five towering sixes, before falling to Michael Bracewell in the 41st over. Hetmyer’s unbeaten 69 off 64 balls featured 9 fours and 2 sixes, anchoring the chase after a late‑order collapse where WI lost 3 wickets for just 9 runs. When Duffy (3/67) triggered a late‑order wobble by removing Forde and Al garbage in consecutive deliveries, the pressure mounted on the hosts at 248/8. Calmেদন under fire, Hetmyer kept his composure alongside Jayden Seales (5* off 7). Hetmyer struck the winning runs with 15 balls to spare, finishing undefeated on 69 to seal a memorable two‑wicket win for the West Indies.
New Zealand won the 5最后 ODI series 3-2 #WIvNZ #WestIndiesCricketTeam #New就是neslandCricket pic.twitter.com/eArppN3Vix
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) July 22, 2026
