WI vs NZ: Fighting against all odds and after recovering from a heavy defeat in the first ODI at the hands of the host West Indies, the New Zealand team has come out strong and has achieved a historic feat that no other New Zealand side could ever do. Latham and co. in the absence of regular skipper Kane Williams have managed to win the ODI series and the last white ball game of the West Indies series. They won the match by 5 wickets, and sum it all up properly, they have won the overall tour. The visitors won the T20I series by a margin of 2-1 and after facing a heavy defeat in the first ODI, they came back strongly and won the ODI series.
With the series hanging in balance, New Zealand skipper Tom Latham won the toss and elected to field first. Pooran wanted his team to put up a massive total on the board and then put the visitors under pressure just to see if they crack or not. Staying true and committed to their intentions, West Indies openers Shai Hope and Kyle Mayers stitched a partnership of 173 runs for the first wicket. Mayers scored a sublime century whereas Hope somehow managed to score a patient 50. Following up with Hope and Mayer's exploits, the skipper scored a quickfire 90 in 55 deliveries that propelled the score to 301 at the end of 50 overs.
The New Zealand batsmen who have been pretty mediocre in the ODI series knew that clouds of series defeat were hovering around them and they had to be at their best to change things around. Opener Martin Guptill was pretty watchful this time around as he scored 57 off 64 deliveries. The in-form Finn Allen could not make any notable contribution in the match and managed to score only 3 off 9 deliveries. The new number 3 for team New Zealand Devon Conway was too good for the West Indies bowlers. Conway ended up scoring 56 off 63 deliveries and Latham later stacked up 69 from 75 balls. With New Zealand cruising smoothly, Mitchell too played a handy inning of 56 off 63 deliveries. In the final act of the match, Michael Bracewell and James Neesham scored 48 runs and guided the Kiwis to victory.
As New Zealand win the series by 2-1, this is the first time they have registered a series win on Caribbean soil.
ALSO READ | Mid-innings report
Teams:
West Indies XI: Shai Hope(w), Kyle Mayers, Shamarh Brooks, Brandon King, Nicholas Pooran(c), Keacy Carty, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Yannic Cariah, Alzarri Joseph, Kevin Sinclair
New Zealand Playing XI: Martin Guptill, Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Tom Latham(w/c), Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult
