New Zealand grabbed their first victory of the 2025–27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle as Jacob Duffy’s brilliant 5 for 38 demolished West Indies for just 128 on Day 3 in Wellington, setting up a simple chase the hosts completed by nine wickets.
Duffy, who made his Test debut earlier this year, triggered a dramatic West Indies slide after Brandon King’s run-out opened the floodgates. Shai Hope fell moments later, and captain Roston Chase nicked off soon after as the visitors slumped under sustained pressure from Duffy and Michael Rae. Kavem Hodge briefly resisted with 35, and Justin Greaves added 25, but once Hodge picked out midwicket and Duffy trapped Greaves lbw on review, the innings crumbled rapidly.
Rae finished with 3 for 45, while Duffy wrapped up the tail in style, removing Tevin Imlach and Ojay Shields to claim his second five-wicket haul of the series. Bowled out for 128, West Indies handed New Zealand a target of just 56.
Devon Conway and Kane Williamson made light work of the chase, finishing 57 for 1, with Conway unbeaten on 28 and Williamson sealing the match with consecutive boundaries. Earlier, New Zealand’s first-innings lead came through fifties from Conway (60) and debutant Mitchell Hay (61), after Blair Tickner and Rae had shared seven wickets to bowl West Indies out for 205.
Captain Tom Latham praised his side’s improvement across the Test, highlighting Duffy’s impact and the contributions of substitutes. Chase admitted West Indies “never capitalised” on a surface far easier than Christchurch. The series now moves to Mount Maunganui, where the visitors will fight to avoid a 2-0 defeat starting December 18.
