​PROVIDENCE, Guyana (AP) — Keacy Carty fell just short of a fifth ODI hundred as he was dismissed for 95, while Shai Hope anchored an unbeaten 87 and combined with Sherfane Rutherford for an unbroken 56-run stand to propel the West Indies to a seven-wicket victory over New Zealand on Saturday in the opening match of five one-day internationals. The hosts chased down New Zealand’s 267 with seven balls to spare, surpassing the rivals’ total thanks to a measured chase built on resilience and steady acceleration.
Carty’s earlier push had helped set the tone for a confident run chase. After the early loss of Akeem Auguste, who contributed 38 off 58, the West Indies found themselves 92-2 in the 19th over, with the innings in need of a stabilizing partnership. Carty aligned with Hope, and the two fostered a third-wicket alliance that moved the score along at a controlled pace. They stitched together a partnership that grew between five and six runs per over, maintaining a required rate comfortably below a run a ball and providing the platform for a straightforward chase.
Hope, who faced 52 balls for his fifty, carried the momentum forward with a determined display of stroke-making, adding 45 runs in 31 balls during the crucial stand with Rutherford, who finished 22 not out. This unbroken pairing ensured the West Indies did not just chase, but chased with confidence, never showing signs of rush or panic as they approached the target. Even with 37 runs needed from the final five overs, the batters remained unhurried; Hope struck a six off the first ball of the 49th over, then single, followed by Rutherford pumping a six from the fifth ball of the same over to seal the win with relative ease.
Carty had reached a tantalizing 95 off 112 deliveries, leaving just five runs short of a century, before he was dismissed by Nathan Smith off Mitchell Bracewell. Earlier, Carty had found his way to a half-century from 67 balls, while Hope reached his own landmark from 52 deliveries, peppered with four fours and two sixes. There was a moment of controversy when Carty appeared to be clean bowled by Jacob Duffy for what would have been a wicket: a six off Duffy’s bowling. However, the umpires ruled that the shot had been complete before the bails were dislodged, and Carty survived. In a final flourish, he added another boundary and exited just short of three figures, giving way to the assured West Indies finish.
On the New Zealand side, the innings was anchored by Daryl Mitchell, whose gritty century in the recent third test against England had been a morale booster for his side, and he again top-scored with 65 in what was described as an otherwise flat batting performance. Will Young contributed 49 in the opening stand of 80 with Henry Nicholls (27), but the rest of the order failed to capitalize on what looked like promising starts. Michael Bracewell (29), Mark Chapman (27), Tom Latham (25), and Mitchell Santner (21) all failed to convert opportunities, culminating in a 267 all out at the end of the innings.
New Zealand found themselves in a strong position at 216-4 by the 40th over, suggesting a potential total exceeding 300, but their last six wickets collapsed for just 33 runs, unable to sustain the late push required to challenge the West Indies’ chase. Vitel Lawes was the standout bowler on debut for the Windies, finishing with 3-54, including the key dismissals of Nicholls, Chapman, and Bracewell, which helped tilt the innings in the home side’s favor.
The West Indies’ approach under captaincy and the openers’ solid foundation left little room for pressure as the run chase progressed. Hope’s calm demeanor at the crease, paired with Rutherford’s late-innings aggression, allowed the chase to be completed with seven wickets in hand and more than 14 overs to spare. The result placed the West Indies in a confident frame of mind for the rest of the five-match series, with the next encounter scheduled for the same venue on Monday.
In summary, the West Indies’ victory was built on a pivotal third-wicket partnership following Carty’s near-millennial performance, aided by Hope’s steady anchoring and Rutherford’s finishing touch, while New Zealand’s batting effort failed to maximize early momentum and faltered in the death overs. The series now moves forward with renewed anticipation as both teams prepare for the remainder of the five-match series.