Match overview
New Zealand beat West Indies by 4 wickets at Seddon Park, Hamilton on 22 November 2025. West Indies, who had won the toss and chosen to bat, were bowled out for 161. That total was well short of competitive at this venue, where the average first-innings score across 88 ODIs is 228. New Zealand's chase was never straightforward, with 6 wickets falling along the way, but the middle overs did enough to see them home. MJ Henry was named Player of the Match for his bowling contribution.
The innings phases tell the story neatly. West Indies lost 3 wickets in the powerplay while scoring 60, then shed a further 7 across the middle overs for 101 runs, with no runs or wickets recorded in what the data logs as the death overs. For New Zealand, the powerplay produced only 32 for 2, but the middle overs brought 130 runs for 4 wickets, and that proved decisive.
Venue and conditions
Seddon Park has hosted 88 ODIs and produced an average first-innings score of 228 and an average second-innings score of 212. The gap between what West Indies scored and what the ground typically offers suggests either an unusually helpful pitch or a significant batting collapse, or both. New Zealand's 162 for 6 also sat well below the venue's historical norms for chasing sides.
The powerplay average at Seddon Park is 35 runs per innings. West Indies' toss-winning decision to bat first is worth noting in context: 64 per cent of toss winners at this ground choose to field, suggesting captains generally prefer to see the surface before committing their batters. West Indies went against that preference and found the conditions unforgiving. The ground's chase success rate sits at 52 per cent, which makes it roughly even for batting first versus chasing; in this match, New Zealand managed to get over the line despite losing 6 wickets.
How to watch
New Zealand home internationals are typically available in the UK via Sky Sports Cricket, with live streaming through Sky Go and NOW TV for subscribers. Exact broadcast schedules for the ongoing series can be found on Sky Sports' website. UK viewers should bear in mind the time difference: a match starting at midday local time in Hamilton corresponds to roughly midnight in the UK.
Recent form
The form book entering this fixture could not have been clearer. New Zealand had won each of their four preceding completed ODIs against West Indies in 2025, with margins of 323 runs, 9 wickets, 5 wickets, and 7 runs. West Indies had lost every one of those games. The one fixture between the sides in 2025 that did not produce a result came at Hagley Oval.
That sequence puts West Indies' struggles in context. The 323-run defeat at Bay Oval in particular suggests there have been matches where they were outclassed, not just beaten. New Zealand's overall head-to-head lead of 45–17 from 71 ODIs reflects a long-standing imbalance between these sides. For West Indies to reverse this series, they would need a performance significantly above what this match produced. The next fixture in the series represents their most immediate opportunity to break the run.
