New Zealand beat West Indies by one wicket in a tense finish at Kensington Oval on Sunday, sealing the ODI series with a match to spare.
Mark Chapman’s 80 and Mitchell Santner‘s unbeaten 34 pulled New Zealand through a chase of 189, with the win handing the visitors an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series. Gudakesh Motie took five wickets for West Indies, but his effort wasn’t enough to stop the hosts from losing their third straight game.
Chapman’s 80 Sets Up New Zealand’s Chase
New Zealand lost Henry Nicholls in the fourth over and slipped to 6 for 2 early in the innings. Chapman walked in and steadied things, building partnerships first with Will Young and then Tom Latham. Both fell within a few overs of each other, leaving New Zealand at 77 for 4.
Chapman shifted gears from there, bringing out pull shots and sweeps to keep the scoreboard moving. West Indies dropped him on 22 when Motie put down a chance at midwicket, and Chapman made the most of the reprieve.
He added 65 runs with Michael Bracewell before Sherfane Rutherford ran him out with a sharp throw from the deep. Chapman’s 82-ball innings included eight fours and four sixes.
Motie’s Five-Wicket Haul Keeps West Indies in the Game
West Indies fought back after Chapman’s exit, conceding just seven runs in the next 22 balls. A rain break paused play for over 30 minutes, and when the match resumed, Bracewell fell first ball to Motie.
That left New Zealand at 149 for 6, with 40 runs still needed. Motie tore through the middle and lower order from there, bowling Jacob Duffy and Matthew Fisher to finish with figures of 5 for 47. His effort put West Indies within touching distance of forcing a decider, but New Zealand’s tail held firm under pressure.
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Santner’s Unbeaten 34 Finishes the Job
Santner batted through the collapse, hitting a slog sweep for six off Motie when New Zealand needed 18 more runs. He went on to score every run off the bat from that point, guiding the innings alongside No. 11 batter Jayden Lennox, who blocked out ten deliveries in an unbroken ninth-wicket stand.
West Indies nearly snatched the win late on. With three runs needed, Jayden Seales deceived Santner with a slower ball, but Ackeem Auguste and Justin Greaves collided while chasing the catch and dropped it. An lbw appeal against Santner off the next over was turned down on review. Santner then lofted Seales over cover on the first ball of the 45th over to seal the win with 35 balls to spare.
Earlier, West Indies had posted 188 after being asked to bat first. Fisher removed captain Shai Hope for 2 with a yorker, and Santner accounted for both Auguste and Keacy Carty. Amir Jangoo top-scored with 51, combining with Motie for an 81-run stand that lifted West Indies from a middling position.
The match was played in memory of Sir Garry Sobers, with both teams honouring the West Indies great before play began. New Zealand’s win moves the series firmly in their favour, with one match left to play.
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