5th ODI: Shimron Hetmyer holds nerve as West Indies edge New Zealand by two wickets
Although New Zealand had already sealed the five-match series 3-2, the hosts finished strongly thanks to an unbeaten 69 from Shimron Hetmyer and a crucial 95-run partnership with Sherfane Rutherford, who scored 61.
After losing both openers early, West Indies recovered through Shai Hope (39) and Keacy Carty (20), before Rutherford and Hetmyer took control of the chase.
The match swung several times as Rutherford, Gudakesh Motie, Matthew Forde and Alzarri Joseph fell in quick succession, leaving West Indies under pressure with 21 runs still needed.
However, Hetmyer stayed calm and struck two crucial sixes to steer his side home. Reflecting on his match-winning knock, he said: “I wasn’t really thinking about getting a half-century to be honest, I was just thinking about how … I can make sure the team crosses the line. Every time a new batter came out I was just like ‘make sure you’re there at the end.’ I’m just happy that I could be there to make sure we crossed the line.”
New Zealand’s strong start goes in vain
Earlier, New Zealand posted 268/9 after useful contributions from Tom Latham (69), Nick Kelly (64) and Will Young (56). The visitors looked set for a bigger total at one stage but were pulled back by disciplined West Indies bowling, with Alzarri Joseph finishing with 2/38.
Spinner Jayden Lennox was New Zealand’s standout bowler, taking 3/35 in the final match. He finished the series with 14 wickets at an average of 13.6 and was named Player of the Series, though his efforts were not enough to stop West Indies from ending the contest with a morale-boosting victory.
