Hetmyer's Unbeaten 69 Hands West Indies Consolation Win as New Zealand Take ODI Series 3-2
Digital desk
Set 269 to win after New Zealand posted 268 for 9, West Indies stumbled early, slipping to 123 for 4 as New Zealand's spin attack — led by Mitchell Santner, who came on in the 10th over — tightened its grip through the middle overs, conceding just 37 runs across 13 overs in tandem. The chase looked to be slipping away again when Jacob Duffy struck twice in two balls during the 45th over, leaving West Indies needing 21 off 32 balls with only two wickets in hand.
That's when Hetmyer took over. Having built a crucial 91-run stand with Sherfane Rutherford earlier in the innings, he responded to the late pressure by hitting Duffy for two sixes in the same over, effectively settling the match. He finished unbeaten on 69 off 64 balls, studded with two fours and four maximums, guiding West Indies home in 47.3 overs and earning the Player of the Match award — only the third time in his ODI career he's finished a successful chase not out. Rutherford's 61 off 58 balls, including five sixes, had earlier provided the platform that kept West Indies in the hunt.
New Zealand's total of 268 for 9 was built on a trio of contributing innings — Will Young made 56, Nick Kelly 64, and captain Tom Latham anchored the innings with a fluent 69, with the visitors adding 70 runs in the final Powerplay to push their total to the highest first-innings score of the series. Jayden Lennox and Duffy each finished with three wickets for New Zealand, while Alzarri Joseph and Vitel Lawes picked up two apiece in the chase.
Despite the defeat, New Zealand collected the series 3-2, extending their run to four consecutive bilateral ODI series wins over West Indies. For the hosts, the victory — arriving after the series was already lost — offers a timely confidence boost heading into their upcoming World Cup Qualifier campaign. Speaking after the match, Hetmyer said he'd stopped thinking about reaching a personal milestone partway through the innings and focused purely on seeing the team across the line, a mindset that's become something of a trademark for the 29-year-old finisher across his 59 ODI appearances since debuting in 2017.
