New Zealand beats West Indies by 8 wickets in the 5th T20; wins the series 3-1

DUNEDIN, New Zealand (AP) — Jacob Duffy took 4-35, disrupting the top order and taking a key wicket at the end, as New Zealand beat West Indies by eight wickets Thursday in the fifth Twenty20 international Thursday to win the series 3-1.

Duffy's three wickets in the third over saw the West Indies slump to 21-4 and he returned to neutralize the threat of Romario Shepherd, who made 36 from 22 balls, as the tourists were bowled out for 140 in 18.4 overs.

New Zealand's reply was swift and emphatic as it reached 141-2 in the 16th over against a West Indies lineup that appeared to be out of sorts in cold conditions.

Devon Conway carried his bat for 47 and shared partnerships of 69 for the first wicket with Tim Robinson, who hit 45 from 24 balls, 37 with Rachin Ravindra (21) and 35 with Mark Chapman (21 not out).

The West Indies won the first match by seven runs, New Zealand won the second by three runs and the third on Sunday by nine runs. All three matches were decided in the final over.

The fourth match on Monday was abandoned due to rain.

Duffy was voted Player of the Series for his 10 wickets.

“I guess in Twenty20 a huge asset of mine is that swing up top and taking wickets in the power play is always pretty important,” Duffy said. "Maybe less so against the West Indies, such is the length of their batting lineup.

“I guess that's always my role in the team is to swing the ball up top and try to make things happen.”

The West Indies began on a note of aggression after losing the toss and being sent in: Alick Athanaze hit a six from the first ball of the match bowled by Duffy.

But there was just enough life in a University Oval pitch that had a little grass and in overcast conditions for the New Zealand pace bowlers to find movement with length deliveries. Runs flowed slowly and there were 19 dot balls in the first five overs.

Athenaze was out in the second over, offering a return catch to Kyle Jamieson from a ball that held a little in the surface.

Then Duffy removed captain Shai Hope (11), Ackeem Auguste (8), and Sherfane Rutherford (0) in the third over. Auguste was the victim of a sharp, length ball on middle stump which ducked back through the gap and took out leg stump.

When Rovman Powell (11) was out two balls after the end of the first power play, the West Indies were 48-5. Powell went hard at a ball from spinner Michael Bracewell and spooned a catch to wicketkeeper Devon Conway, who took three catches in the innings.

Roston Chase gathered together some resistance in the middle order, putting on 42 for the sixth wicket with Jason Holder (20). Chase had made 38 from 32 balls when he went after a ball from Jimmy Neesham which was wide outside off stump, edging the ball to Conway.

After Holder was out at 92-7, Shepherd bolstered the West Indies' total with three fours and three sixes in his 38 before Duffy returned.

The teams will next play a series of three one-day internationals. Left-handed top-order batter John Campbell will be returning to the West Indies squad.

Matthew Forde, who was called up for the T20 squad to make his first white-ball appearance since rehabilitating from injury, and Johann Layne and Shamar Springer will provide support to the pace bowling unit.

West Indies will be missing Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Ramon Simmonds and Jediah Blades due to injuries.

The first ODI match is Sunday at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

New Zealand's Jacob Duffy attempts to field the ball during the T20 cricket international between New Zealand and the West Indies in Auckland, New Zealand, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)

West Indies bowler Romario Shepherd, centre left, is congratulated by teammates after taking the wicket of New Zealand's Tim Robinson during the T20 cricket international between New Zealand and the West Indies in Auckland, New Zealand, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

New Zealand's Mitchell Santner bats during the T20 cricket international between New Zealand and the West Indies in Auckland, New Zealand, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

ATLANTA (AP) — As the World Cup nears, Christian Pulisic's scoreless streak for the United States stretched to a career-high eight games.

“Of course it's frustrating, but I’m just going to stay positive,” he said after Tuesday night's 2-0 loss to Portugal in a friendly. “A lot of big things ahead, and I know I’m going to get to the other side and things are going to click.”

Pulisic hasn't scored an international goal since a CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Jamaica on Nov. 18, 2024, and he's scoreless in 12 games with AC Milan since Dec. 28.

U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino moved the 27-year-old from a wing to striker for the first time since taking over in October 2024 in an effort to get him more chances closer to goal. Pulisic had 28 touches, up from 24 in the first half of Saturday’s 5-2 loss to Belgium.

Pulisic missed the ball on an open volley from a Tim Weah cross in the 22nd minute and was just wide from outside the penalty area in the 36th. Pulisic got a yellow card for dissent in first-half stoppage time for kicking Samú Costa after he was pushed off the ball.

“He was very active and I think he made a good job,” Pochettino said. “Unlucky or ashamed a little bit that he didn’t score with the opportunity that he (had). It’s normal."

With 32 goals in 84 international appearances over a decade, Pulisic is the top American player. He scored 10 goals in his first 15 appearances for AC Milan this season.

“Yes, he feels frustrated, but that is what we want, what we expect. He was fighting,” Pochettino said. “He’s going to score because he has the quality. I am sure that he’s going to come back to his club. ... He's going to start to score again.”

Preparing to co-host the World Cup in June, the U.S. has lost eight straight games to European opponents while getting outscored 22-6. It is winless against the continent in 10 matches since 2021.

“Both first halves, and we caused the teams a lot problems. We put a lot pressure on them. We did a lot great things," Pulisic said. “Just little moments or just being a little bit more clinical and it’s just the same story but I feel really close and I feel like we’re in a good place.”

Pochettino announces his World Cup roster on May 26, and the Americans play their last warmups against Senegal five days later and Germany on June 6. They open the World Cup on June 12 against Australia, face Paraguay a week later and close the first round against Turkey on June 25.

Pulisic thought back to the last two games before the 2022 World Cup, a 2-0 loss to Japan and a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia. At the tournament, the U.S. tied Wales and England, then beat Iran 1-0 on a goal from Pulisic to advance before a round of 16 loss to the Netherlands.

“I remember people were doubting us after that camp,” he said of the September 2022 friendlies. “Maybe we didn’t have a great camp, and at the end of the day, we go in, we have a great World Cup. It’s all behind us. So like I said, better now, and we’re going to figure it out. We’re going to figure it out when it really counts.”

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Unites States' Christian Pulisic listens during a news conference before the men's national soccer team training, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Marietta, Ga. (AP Photo/Ronald Blum

USA's Christian Pulisic (10) and Portugal's Francisco Trincao work during the first half of an international friendly soccer match, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

USA's Christian Pulisic (10) moves against Portugal's Joao Cancelo during the first half of an international friendly soccer match, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)