Nov 16, Kathmandu - The ODI between New Zealand and West Indies at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch was not an easy one. The home team's batsmen in particular struggled, but Daryl Mitchell's brilliant 119 off the bat on this difficult ground helped New Zealand reach a challenging total of 269 for 7 in 50 overs.

The West Indies captain won the toss and opted to bowl, giving the bowlers movement. Making five changes from their last ODI, West Indies had replaced spinners with seamers. The benefits were immediate. Young bowler Matthew Forde got off to a lethal start. He dismissed Rachin Ravindra for 4 in the seventh over and came close to a hat-trick by dismissing Will Young, who was playing his 50th ODI, for a golden duck.

At this critical moment, Daryl Mitchell came to the crease. He changed the pace of the game by entering the field and playing forward. He adopted a strategy of playing forward on bowlers like Forde, which allowed him to dominate the bowlers.

However, the West Indies kept their bowling tight. Even when Mitchell scored 33 runs off 37 balls, New Zealand's run rate was slow, reaching 91/2. He needed 24 more balls to reach his half-century. Five of the middle 16 overs were almost maidens. In which Roston Chase and Hagley bowled very disciplined. Jaden Seals also took 3 wickets for 41 runs.

Despite all these challenges, Mitchell continued his innings. He was also struggling with fatigue towards the end of the game. Finally, when he reached 100 runs, he celebrated. Mitchell, who has scored four half-centuries in the last seven ODIs, is now on par with the likes of Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor.

Mitchell's century and Devon Conway's crucial 49 helped New Zealand set a target of 270 for West Indies to win.