West Indies wins by 5 wickets against New Zealand

West Indies defeated New Zealand in the opening match under lights on Wednesday night, with Shamarh Brooks scoring 79 off 91 balls.

The triumph broke a streak of New Zealand’s three straight clean sweeps to Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India, and it was the West Indies’ first ODI victory over New Zealand in their past six encounters. It was New Zealand’s first dismissal in a 50-over match since March 2020. It also stopped the Caribbean team’s nine-game losing streak in the 50-over-per-side format. More crucially, it won them 10 critical points in their effort to qualify for the World Cup in India next year.

New Zealand got off to a strong start with a 41-run stand between Martin Guptill and Finn Allen, who hit two sixes and a four off Holder’s bowling in the seventh over.

After a brief rain delay at the end of the eighth over, Allen was out for 25 four balls after the game resumed. From then on, New Zealand lost wickets on a regular basis and failed to form the partnerships required to reach a more daunting total. A 40-run seventh-wicket partnership between Michael Bracewell (31) and Mitchell Santner (25) gave New Zealand hope of breaking the 200-run barrier, but Jason Holder took two wickets in two balls, and Joseph finished the session in the 46th over when Trent Boult played on.

The home side swept over the Black Caps for 190 after opting to bowl first. Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein (3-28) and fast bowler Alzarri Joseph (3-36) led the charge with three-wicket hauls, while Jason Holder finished with 2-39.

Set a target of 191, the home team cruised to victory in 39 overs, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Shamarh Brooks struck a 75-run stand with skipper Nicholas Pooran to lead the West Indies to a five-wicket victory against top-ranked New Zealand in the series opener. Brooks hit his fourth ODI half-century off 58 balls and had faced 91 deliveries when he was caught in the 34th over, with the West Indies closing down on New Zealand’s paltry total of 190.

“It was important just to get a start because this was not the easiest pitch to bat on,” stated Brooks after receiving the “Man of the Match” award.

“It was especially gratifying to be in a good partnership with the captain and to see the way he really buckled down, which is not his nature,” he added.

West Indies XI: Shai Hope (WK), Kyle Mayers, Jermaine Blackwood, Shamarh Brooks, Nicholas Pooran (C), Keacy Carty, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein,Kevin Sinclair, Yannic Cariah, Alzarri Joseph

New Zealand XI: Martin Guptill, Finn Allen, Tom Latham (WK), Kane Williamson (C), Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Trent Boult, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson