New Zealand Edge West Indies in Rain-Hit Thriller to Seal ODI Series
What a game this turned out to be — even with rain trimming it down to just 34 overs a side, the second ODI between New Zealand and the West Indies delivered all the drama you could ask for. And in the end, New Zealand managed to pull off a composed five-wicket win, clinching the series 2-0. But the story of the match really began with Shai Hope, who crafted one of the finest ODI knocks you’ll see.
The West Indies were put into bat in humid conditions where the ball swung around early. The first two overs were maidens, and wickets started falling before any real momentum could be built. John Campbell edged out for 4, Keacy Carty followed for 7, and suddenly the West Indies were wobbling. But then Shai Hope stepped in, and the innings slowly transformed.
Also Read:- Draft Night Drama as Future AFL Stars Find Their New Homes
- Keli Holiday’s ARIA Night Shines with Music, Love, and a Viral Hit
Hope crossed 6,000 ODI runs during this knock and went on to complete his first century against New Zealand — now ticking off a hundred against every Test-playing nation. What made it even more impressive was how the innings was paced. His first 50 came off 42 balls, and the next 50 off just 25. Even as partners kept disappearing at the other end, Hope held it together. From small but useful contributions by Justin Greaves and Romario Shepherd to a late flurry from Matthew Forde, every run was being squeezed out. When Hope finally reached his century with a clean six off Kyle Jamieson, he had struck 13 fours and four sixes, remaining unbeaten on 109. The West Indies closed on 247/9 — a challenging total considering the shortened format.
New Zealand’s chase began steadily but was anything but straightforward. Early swing made batting tricky, and both Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway had to fight through a tough initial phase before settling in. Once they did, the scoreboard began to flow again, with both reaching fifties that gave New Zealand a strong platform.
But the West Indies weren’t done. A couple of timely breakthroughs pulled them back into the contest, briefly raising hopes of a defendable finish. That’s when Tom Latham’s calm presence became crucial. While wickets fell around him, he kept rotating the strike and nudging New Zealand forward.
And then came Mitchell Santner — not just as captain but as the late-innings accelerant. He walked in and immediately shifted the momentum with clean, fearless hitting. A flurry of boundaries, some costly full tosses from the West Indies, and suddenly the target was within touching distance. In the final over, with eight needed from six, a no-ball from Jayden Seales, followed by a boundary from Latham, swung the door wide open. One ball later, Santner punched the winning run, sealing the match with 3 balls to spare.
In the end, the West Indies fought hard, Hope stood tall, and yet New Zealand’s composed chase proved too strong. With the series already in the bag, the third ODI in Hamilton now becomes a dead rubber — but if this match was any indication, excitement certainly won’t be lacking.
Read More:
0 Comments