New Zealand secured the ODI series against West Indies, with a five-wicket victory with three balls to spare in a rain-curtailed 34-over contest at McLean Park. Chasing a target of 248, the hosts required 54 runs from the final 29 deliveries when captain Mitchell Santner joined Tom Latham at the crease.
The pair capitalized on the short square boundaries, with Santner striking a decisive 32 not out off 13 balls alongside Latham’s unbeaten 34. The drama peaked in the final over when Jayden Seales delivered a waist-high no-ball that Latham guided for four; Santner drove the subsequent free hit through extra cover to ice the game, leaving Seales distraught on the turf.
The chase began cautiously against the moving ball, with New Zealand managing only 13 runs in the first five overs as Matthew Forde and Seales applied early pressure. However, openers Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra absorbed the initial threat to forge a 106-run partnership, the Kiwis' first opening century stand in ODIs since February 2020.
Ravindra shifted the momentum after the slow start, striking five sixes in his 56 off 46 balls. His innings ended when he sliced Justin Greaves to backward point, where Roston Chase timed his jump perfectly to claim the catch.
Following Ravindra's departure, the hosts wobbled, losing Will Young and Mark Chapman cheaply to leave the innings at a crossroads. Conway anchored the effort with a composed 90 off 84 balls, keeping the required run rate within managing distance until he cut a delivery from Shamar Springer straight to the fielder at point.
Conway's dismissal left the required rate hovering above ten an over, but the late assault from Santner and Latham ensured New Zealand registered their 11th consecutive bilateral ODI series win at home.
Earlier in the day, West Indies overcame a difficult start playing out three maidens in the first four overs against Kyle Jamieson, who claimed early wickets during an opening spell of 2 for 12. Captain Shai Hope resurrected the innings with an unbeaten 109 off 69 balls, marking his 19th ODI century.
During the knock, Hope surpassed 6,000 ODI runs in his 142nd innings, becoming the second-fastest West Indian to the milestone after Viv Richards. Supported by aggressive cameos from Romario Shepherd and Matthew Forde, Hope powered his side from a precarious 130 for 6 in the 24th over to a commanding total of 247 for 9.
Post-match, Santner acknowledged the difficulty of defending at the venue, crediting his team for exploiting the field restrictions in the final overs. "There is always one gap everywhere, and we exploited that," Santner said. On the losing side, Hope expressed frustration despite his personal achievement. "I honestly thought it was enough. Clearly it wasn't," Hope stated. "We have to find a way to cross the line. To be a great team, you have to keep winning against the best."