Match overview
New Zealand Cricket beat West Indies Cricket by 5 wickets at McLean Park on 19 November 2025. West Indies batted first and posted 247/9, a competitive effort nine runs above the ground's average first-innings score of 238 across 48 ODIs. New Zealand's reply was assured from the start: they reached the powerplay on 44/0 and, despite losing five wickets in the middle overs, crossed the line at 248/5. Shai Hope took the Player of the Match award for a batting performance that stood above everything else on the day, even in a losing cause.
The result continued a remarkable run of dominance by New Zealand over West Indies in 2025. Every completed match in the series has gone New Zealand's way, and this fixture was no exception. West Indies' batting held up reasonably well until the middle overs became damaging: seven wickets fell in that phase for 207 runs, leaving a tail that offered New Zealand limited resistance at the end of the innings.
Venue and conditions
McLean Park is a ground where first-innings totals carry real weight. Over 48 ODIs, the average first-innings score is 238 compared to an average second-innings score of 188. Teams batting second win only 42 per cent of the time, a figure that reflects how difficult the ground becomes as the game progresses. New Zealand defied those odds here, but they did so with a top order that delivered under no early pressure.
The powerplay numbers are worth noting in context. The ground's average powerplay tally is 41 runs; New Zealand reached 44/0 in theirs, marginally above par and without losing a wicket. West Indies' powerplay produced 40/2, which set a different tone for their innings: they were chasing an acceleration with two wickets already gone before the middle overs even began. New Zealand won the toss and elected to field, a decision backed by ground data: 54 per cent of toss-winners at McLean Park choose to bowl.
How to watch
New Zealand versus West Indies ODIs are broadcast in the UK on Sky Sports Cricket. Viewers without a full Sky subscription can access the channel through Sky Go or a NOW TV day pass. Match start times in New Zealand are typically early morning in the UK, so most coverage falls in the small hours or pre-dawn slots. Check Sky Sports' online schedule for confirmed UK broadcast times for upcoming matches in the series.
Recent form
West Indies arrived at McLean Park on the back of four consecutive losses to New Zealand in 2025 (excluding one no-result). Their recent record reads: L, L, NR, L, L against the same opposition. That sequence reflects a wider gap in conditions and personnel rather than a single off match. New Zealand, by contrast, enter any follow-up fixture with momentum built across a full series, having won by margins as large as 323 runs at Bay Oval and as tight as 7 runs at Hagley Oval. West Indies will need a meaningful shift in their middle-overs batting cohesion to change the trajectory of this series.
