In a nail-biting finish at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown,
West Indies clinched a dramatic two-wicket victory over New Zealand in the
fifth and final ODI. While New Zealand had already wrapped up the series 3-2,
the hosts ensured they signed off on a memorable high note.
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| Image Credits: Cricinfo |
Opting to bowl first, West Indies restricted New Zealand to
268/9 in their 50 overs. The Black Caps built steady contributions across the
order, but disciplined bowling at the death kept the target manageable.
Chasing 269, West Indies started with positive intent
through top-order openers Ackeem Auguste (34) and Justin Greaves (22). Captain
Shai Hope anchored the middle overs with a smooth 39, but left-arm spinner
Jayden Lennox (3/35) pulled New Zealand back into the game with key
breakthroughs.
With the game on the line, Sherfane Rutherford and Shimron
Hetmyer launched a high-octane counter-attack. Rutherford’s aggressive 61 off
58 balls injected crucial momentum, while Hetmyer anchored the final stretch
with composure.
Despite a late flurry of wickets from pacer Jacob Duffy (3/67), Hetmyer remained unflappable under pressure. Staying unbeaten on 69 off 64 balls, he steered the tail home, as Jayden Seales struck the winning boundary in the 48th over to seal a thrilling chase with 15 balls to spare. Hetmyer was deservedly awarded Player of the Match.
