Player of the Match
Player of the Match

And that's a wrap from this series. Hope you enjoyed this fascinating series. We had a lot of fun bringing you the live coverage and we hope you had a ball joining us from all over the world. For now, it's goodbye and goodnight from me, Rvel Zahid, my co-commentator Alagappan Muthu and our scoring partner Chetan Kumar. Adios!

Shimron Hetymer, Player of the Match: I think that's the most satisfying part, to be fair, because I was already thinking about getting a 50, to be honest. I was just thinking about how I could make sure the team crossed the line. Every time the guys came out, they were like, "Just make sure you're there at the end, make sure you're there at the end." I'm just happy that I could be there at the end to make sure we crossed the line. I think we weren't overthinking anything we were doing. We were just waiting for the ball, getting into our positions, and waiting for the ball to actually be there for us to play a shot. When it was there, we took our chances. Most of the time, it was calculated. I think the positivity was the main reason that actually built that partnership and took us where we got to. When Jayden Seales came out, I just told him, "Take your time, just look at the ball as long and as hard as possible." When I was on strike, I was trying to maximise the over as much as I could. Then when I realised he was building a partnership and getting a couple of runs, I thought, "Okay, this is going to work." So it was about believing in him and showing that belief from the other end, and that really worked. I would like to think we can keep winning. It's about the fans here and the fans back home as well. I'm sure my wife and kids are watching, so I'm happy that I could make them proud and make the fans proud too

Jayden Lennox, Player of the Series: It's been a lot of fun. Playing on pitches that are pretty spin-conducive has been a great learning experience for me. These bilateral series are all about learning and gaining experience in foreign conditions, so I'll certainly go home with my pockets full of knowledge. I think it's just about the subtleties of the craft. Mitch Santner has been doing it for a long time now, so to be able to be here, watch what he's doing, see how he's operating, and use some of his tricks and subtle variations is what it's all about when you come and play on these surfaces. I think that's a bit of a toss-up. It's one of those things where you've got to roll the dice when somebody is going like he was. I don't think there's anything that particularly sticks out. Obviously, I've been the beneficiary of some really good bowling from Mitch and Beast as well. I'm pretty lucky to be able to sit there and hone my craft while they operate at the other end. There's nothing specific that sticks out, but it's obviously really pleasing to get a series win. I don't think Guyana surprised me too much. I was here just about 12 months ago to the day, so that didn't really surprise me. I knew we were probably going to have a little bit more bounce here. A few days ago, looking at the surface, I almost didn't believe them when they said it was really bouncy. But I think the conditions have been fun, and they've been two very, very different surfaces

Shai Hope, West Indies Captain: Fight. That's something we showed quite a bit in this series, and it's great to get a win in the last one. Unfortunately, we didn't get the 3-2 result on our side, but that's how it goes sometimes. We need a bit more consistency, or rather, a lot more consistency. That's something we've lacked in the last few series from a holistic standpoint. Sometimes when we bowl well, we find ourselves struggling a little bit with the bat, and vice versa. It's about putting together that complete game more often than not. Other than that, it's about having the same intent with both bat and ball and finding ways to win those crucial moments of the game. I would say grasping those key moments. There were very, very important moments in a couple of the games in Guyana where our batters didn't really capitalise on some of the starts we got in challenging conditions. But that's what we have to do in international cricket. When you face challenges, you've got to find a way to overcome them. We're always going to look at one moment, but there are so many areas of the game we can improve. The crucial moments are where we need to be better and more consistent. We try. I think something people don't always see is the work the guys are putting in behind the scenes. The schedule is very tight. When we travel, sometimes the next morning we have to be up in the nets trying to make those little tweaks. The guys are working hard. It's just about executing when things get tough. We have the capabilities, the guys have the skill sets, and we all want to play complete cricket. It's about doing it more consistently when the pressure situations come. But we're going to get there. We've got a good bunch of guys, and we just need to be more consistent

Mitchell Santner, New Zealand Captain: Another great game, much like the whole series. It's been really competitive, and every game could have gone either way. Obviously, it's nice to win the trophy 3-2, but it was a hard-fought series. Today, we set ourselves up quite nicely with the bat. We probably fell a touch short of where we wanted to be, but I thought the fight at the end with the ball was outstanding. It shows the depth of New Zealand cricket. With the condensed schedules at the moment, there is a little bit of pressure on players and squads, but it's great to see guys stepping up and taking their opportunities. It's pleasing to see different players putting their hands up and contributing. That's what you need in a long schedule and in different conditions around the world. The conditions were challenging but enjoyable. There was something in it for both bat and ball throughout the series, and that made for some really good contests. The West Indies played some excellent cricket, especially in the final game. They came hard at us, and we knew we had to fight until the end. It was a really entertaining series, and it's great to come away with the win.

New Zealand fought their way back to post a fighting total and that's why the game went almost right down to the wire. But the West Indies came with a purpose, fought valiantly and showed a never-say-never attitude. They weren't bogged down by the agonising defeat in the previous outing. Alzarri Joseph was the pick of the bowlers while Vitel Lawes chipped in with a couple of wickets too, although he was a tad expensive. West Indies then came out all guns blazing, racing to almost 70 runs at the end of the first 10 overs. New Zealand managed to slow things down through the middle overs but Sherfane Rutherford and Shimron Hetmyer ensured they broke the back of the chase and avoided hiccups. Drama, however, wasn't far away. Rutherford departed for 61 and the visitors exploited the loose end as Motie, Forde, and Joseph all returned to the pavilion in quick succession. Hetmyer, though, remained steadfast, striking some timely boundaries to take his side within touching distance of a morale-boosting victory. Jayden Seales then delivered the coup de grâce as the West Indies got over the line. Jayden Lennox was the pick of New Zealand's bowlers with figures of 3 for 35. Mitchell Santner was typically economical, while Jacob Duffy also picked up three prized scalps. They fought valiantly, and once again, cricket was the real winner. We witnessed top-quality ODI cricket that thoroughly entertained us all.

47.3
4
Smith to Seales, FOUR, Pitched on a length and veers into the stumps, he says don't worry, I can get the job done, loads up and employs a classical lofted shot into the gap at long-on and West Indies have brought a lot of smiles on the faces of Carribean fans. A very emotional and significant win for the home side; they will dedicate this win to the great Sir Garfield Sobers. West Indies end the series on a high and end the series 2-3. Handshakes all-around, it has been a hard-fought and a very competitive series which produced thrilling edge-of-the-seat contests
47.2
0
Smith to Seales, no run, Back of a length and outside off, tapped away behind backward point
47.1
0
Smith to Seales, no run, Wide of the crease, around the wicket, shorter in length and angled into the pads, stands front-on and is unable to work it away, needs to bring Hetymer on crease asap

END OF OVER:
47 | 13 Runs | WI: 265/8 (4 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 5.63, RRR: 1.33)

  • Shimron Hetmyer69 (64b)
  • Jayden Seales1 (4b)
  • Jacob Duffy8-0-67-3
  • Nathan Smith7-0-47-1
46.6
0
Duffy to Hetmyer, no run, Around the wicket, back of a length and angled in from a wide line, gets some zip back, he tries to swing it down the ground and the uneven bounce troubles him
46.5
0
Duffy to Hetmyer, no run, Pitches it slower and shorter around the line off, gets a lot of prodigious bounce and he pulls away from a shot
46.4
6
Duffy to Hetmyer, SIX, Slow cutter and shorter just outside off, plants his front foot and slams him for a six over long-on, just frame that shot! The ball is lost, tonked with a lof of power and insolence! Crowd has gone berserk! Umpire is coming with ball carry case. That ball has got stuck between two solar panels on top of the roof
46.4
1w
Duffy to Hetmyer, 1 wide, Short of a length and floating wide of off, lost. his bearings, will have to reload, another wide
46.3
6
Duffy to Hetmyer, SIX, Got all of it on this occasion, flexes his biceps and muscles the low full-toss on off over long-on, has got all of it, sounded like a six, is a six, that will calm him down and all of the West Indies fans, munched down the ground
46.2
0
Duffy to Hetmyer, no run, Crucial dot. Touch short and it curls across off, keeps low as well, tries to drag it across the line and doesn't connect, wanted to whack it leg-side
46.1
0
Duffy to Hetmyer, no run, Over the wicket, not that full, not too short, just outside off, thumped down and didn't find the requisite timing to clear the rope, two men converging at long-on

END OF OVER:
46 | 4 Runs | WI: 252/8 (17 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 5.47, RRR: 4.25)

  • Shimron Hetmyer57 (58b)
  • Jayden Seales1 (4b)
  • Nathan Smith7-0-47-1
  • Jacob Duffy7-0-54-3
45.6
1
Smith to Hetmyer, 1 run, What a tense affair, fans have been regaled in this series. Who says ODI cricket is in danger?
An overthrow. Pitched shorter and outside leg-stump, tickles it to deep fine and a wayward throw results in an extra run, it would have been a wide had he left this alone, and it he played it finer, it would have been a boundary for sure, it's getting tighter and the tension is palpable
45.5
1
Smith to Seales, 1 run, Back of a length and angled wide of off, flings his bat out and runs it down to deep third for a run
45.4
0
Smith to Seales, no run, On a length and wicket-to-wicket, taps it away to. mid-on
45.3
1
Smith to Hetmyer, 1 run, Pitched up around the line middle, it's a low full-toss and was there to be seized but he manages to mow it towards long-on, looks up in the heavens, disappointed with himself
45.2
0
Smith to Hetmyer, no run, Pitches it fuller and takes the pace off, not giving him room to free arms, stabbed away to cover and the runs have dried up
45.1
0
Smith to Hetmyer, no run, Pitched up and angled into the toes, opens the face and drives it to long-on
45.1
1w
Smith to Hetmyer, 1 wide, Over the wicket, slow tennis-ball bumper and it's adjudged as a wide, pitched outside the line of leg-stump but it did curl back and so it might have finished inside the line of leg-stump but we are moving on, that's the fast pace nature of life

West Indies 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st57JP GreavesAWJ Auguste
2nd2JP GreavesKU Carty
3rd59SD HopeKU Carty
4th5KU CartySE Rutherford
5th95SO HetmyerSE Rutherford
6th21SO HetmyerG Motie
7th9SO HetmyerMW Forde
8th0SO HetmyerAS Joseph
9th21SO HetmyerJNT Seales