Match overview

New Zealand beat West Indies by 9 wickets at Basin Reserve, Wellington, completing one of the more straightforward victories seen at a ground with a long history of closely contested Tests. West Indies were bowled out for 205 in the first innings and then for 128 in the second, setting New Zealand a target of just 56. The home side reached 57/1 to seal the result. JA Duffy was named Player of the Match. New Zealand won the toss and chose to field, and the decision paid off from the opening session.

The margin tells its own story. New Zealand's first-innings total of 278/9 gave them a lead of 73 runs, and when West Indies crumbled to 128 in the second innings the match was as good as done. It was the fifth time in 2025 that these two sides met in a completed Test, and the fifth time New Zealand came away with the points. West Indies have now won just 17 of 71 Tests against New Zealand across the full history of the rivalry.

The series has laid bare a significant gap between the two sides at the moment. West Indies arrived in Wellington having already lost earlier fixtures in 2025, including a defeat by 323 runs at Bay Oval. This result at Basin Reserve does nothing to suggest that gap is closing any time soon.

Venue and conditions

Basin Reserve is one of the oldest Test grounds in the world, and its 79-match history gives a reliable statistical picture of what to expect. The average first-innings score here is 231. New Zealand's 278/9 is above that mark; West Indies' 205 in the first innings and 128 in the second are both some way below it. On a pitch that rewards seam movement and patience, the tourists never established themselves.

The ground's toss data is instructive. Captains here opt to field 69 per cent of the time after winning the toss, and New Zealand followed that pattern. The Wellington wind and overcast skies that typically greet morning sessions make early batting difficult, and West Indies struggled to negotiate that period in both innings. The chase success rate at the ground sits at 49 per cent across all Tests, though with a target of only 56 in the fourth innings that historical figure carried little weight.

How to watch

Test cricket from New Zealand is broadcast in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports Cricket. Live streaming is available via Sky Go and NOW TV for subscribers. For those without a subscription, BBC Radio's Test Match Special provides ball-by-ball commentary throughout each day's play, typically starting in the early hours of the morning given the time difference between the UK and Wellington. UK viewers should note that a Wellington day-one start at 10:30 local time corresponds to approximately 21:30 the previous evening in the UK.

Recent form

West Indies' recent form against New Zealand reads as four losses and one no-result from their last five meetings in 2025. The defeats came by 323 runs at Bay Oval, 4 wickets at Seddon Park, 5 wickets at McLean Park, and 7 runs at Hagley Oval before this Basin Reserve result. New Zealand, by contrast, have won all four completed fixtures in the same sequence. There is no evidence from the 2025 series that West Indies have found a reliable formula against New Zealand's seam attack in home conditions, and with this Test wrapped up the tourists face a significant rebuilding task before the next series assignment.