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Jacob Duffy enters record books with a historic 1st for New Zealand vs West Indies

Mayank

Jacob Duffy took 81 wickets in 2025 [Source: Visharad_KW22/X.com]Jacob Duffy took 81 wickets in 2025 [Source: Visharad_KW22/X.com]

New Zealand's final day of the 2025 calendar year turned out to be fruitful as they ended the three-match series against West Indies with a fine 323-run win over the visitors at the Bay Oval, to clinch the series 2-0, after the opening pair of Brandon King and John Campbell posed a bit of a challenge early on in the fourth innings.

While the Caribbeans looked unfazed in their attempt to bat through the final day, evidently targeting a draw, citing a 462-run target, the lead NZ pacer, Jacob Duffy, took matters into his own hands and inflicted a collapse by dismissing Brandon King at 67 (96), which led to a five-fer for him. 

Notably, on his way to a match-winning 5/42, he surpassed the legendary Richard Hadlee in the tally for a Kiwi bowler to pick the most international wickets in a year and claimed the top spot.

Most wickets for a New Zealand bowler in a year

  1. Jacob Duffy (2025) - 81 wickets in 36 matches
  2. Richard Hadlee (1985) - 79 wickets in 23 matches
  3. Daniel Vettori (2008) - 76 wickets in 33 matches
  4. Trent Boult (2015) - 72 wickets in 25 matches
  5. Trent Boult (2017) - 69 wickets in 27 matches

By picking 5/42 in the second innings of the third Test, he finished with the match figures of 9/128 (57.3) and ended the series as the leading wicket-taker with 23 wickets in 6 innings. 

Not only did he go past Hadlee, but he also completed 2025 as the leading wicket-taker across formats, with teammate Matt Henry placed second with a significant margin between them at 65 wickets. Additionally, he has also climbed up to the world number 2 T20I ranking.

Up next, he will be travelling to India with the team to play three ODIs and five T20Is ahead of the T20 World Cup from January 11, followed by an Indian Premier League stint with the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru.