West Indies and New Zealand head to a Providence decider with the ODI series level
West Indies and New Zealand meet at Providence on Thursday with the ODI series tied 1-1 and everything riding on the last game.
Jul 15, 2026
West Indies and New Zealand go to Providence on Thursday with their one-day series level at 1-1 and a decider to settle it. The hosts drew first blood in Guyana, New Zealand hit straight back on the same ground, and now everything rides on the last game.
A series of sharp swings
West Indies looked comfortable in the opener. New Zealand posted 267, and Keacy Carty’s 95 and an unbeaten 87 from captain Shai Hope guided the chase home for a seven-wicket win with an over to spare. Two days later the game turned completely. On a Providence surface that started to grip and turn, West Indies were bundled out for 138 and New Zealand knocked off the runs for the loss of five wickets with more than 17 overs unused.
Jayden Lennox was the wrecker in that second match, his 5 for 19 among the best figures a New Zealand spinner has ever returned in a men’s ODI. That collapse is the thing West Indies have to erase from memory. Get 260 or 270 on the board again and they are a match for anyone at home, but 138 all out on their own pitch is the kind of afternoon that lingers.
What each side needs
For West Indies, it starts with Hope. He is in fine touch at the top of the order, and as captain and wicketkeeper he sets the tempo, so they need him to bat deep and drag a middle order that folded in the second game with him. The pace of Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales gives them a way to hit back with the ball, but only if there are enough runs to bowl at.
New Zealand will feel they have cracked the conditions. Mitchell Santner’s side read the turning pitch better than the hosts last time, and Daryl Mitchell has been in good order with the bat through the series. If Lennox and the spinners get the same purchase, the visitors have the blueprint to win from in front again.
When to watch
The decider is at Providence Stadium in Guyana on Thursday. Like the first two matches it is a day-night game, starting at 2:30pm local time, which is around midnight IST as Thursday runs into Friday. Whoever holds their nerve takes the series.