In a match interrupted several times by rain, the West Indies lost five wickets for one run but recovered to 180 for 7 from 16 overs thanks to some calculated hitting from their captain, Kieron Pollard.
However, New Zealand replied with 179 for five from 15.2 overs to win by Duckworth/Lewis method.
The home side won the toss and asked the visitors to bat and they obliged racing to 58 without loss in 19 balls courtesy of Andre Fletcher’s 14-ball 34 that included three fours and three sixes.
However, when he was bowled by Lockie Ferguson the second ball of the fourth over, it triggered a collapse wherein the West Indies lost five wickets in 11 balls. Four balls later, he had Shimron Hetmyer caught behind without scoring – 58 for 2.
The West Indies lost two wickets in the following over bowled by Tim Southee, who removed Brandon King for 13 and Rovman Powell without scoring as the West Indies stumbled to 58 for 4. In the very next over, Ferguson trapped Nicholas Pooran lbw for 1 and the West Indies had collapsed to 59 for 5.
Pollard came to the rescue of the Caribbean side as he and Fabian Allen hauled the West Indies to 143 in the 14th over when Ferguson had Allen caught for 30 behind and Keemo Paul out by a similar route without scoring to leave the West Indies 146 for 7.
Meanwhile, at the other end Pollard was at his destructive best, smashing 75 off just 37 balls with four fours and eight sixes to carry the Caribbean side to a competitive total.
Man of the Match Ferguson returned figures of 5 for 21 from his four overs, while Southee took 2 for 22 from 3.
However, the Pollard-led recovery was all for naught as New Zealand, led by Neesham’s unbeaten 24-ball 48 and Devon Conway’s 29-ball 41, propelled New Zealand to 179 for 5 from 15.2overs and the series lead.
Neesham and Conway dragged New Zealand back from 63 for 4 mid-way the seventh over to what turned out to be a comfortable victory. In a fifth-wicket stand of 77 that came off just 34 balls, the pair smashed the West Indies bowling to all parts before Conway fell to Pollard in the 13th over but by then the damage had been done.
Mitchell Santer picked up from there smashing three sixes as he raced to an unbeaten 31 from just 18 balls to secure victory.
New Zealand were aided by poor bowling from the West Indies, especially from Keemo Paul and Kesrick Williams being, who were most culpable. Paul bowled five no-balls while giving up 39 runs from his three overs while Williams’ half volleys saw him being taken for 33 runs from two overs. Allen gave up 32 from two overs.
Oshane Thomas 2 for 23 from three overs was the best of the West Indies bowlers while Sheldon Cottrell returned figures of 1 for 30 from his four overs.
The loss, with 17 balls to spare meant New Zealand won the three-match series 2-1.
Playing before their home crowd, Kyle Mayers scored 105 and Shai Hope, 51, to set the base for the West Indies’ challenging total of 301-8.
Both featured in an opening stand of 173 before Trent Boult dismissed Hope in the 35th over. Two balls later Lockie Ferguson removed Mayers at the same score and triggered a slide as the West Indies slipped to 191-4 in the 39th over.
Pooran then came to the rescue smashing nine sixes and four fours in a 55-ball 91 that took the West Indies within sight of 300 by the time he was dismissed by Boult in the 49th over.
Alzarri Joseph clubbed 20 from just six balls as the West Indies innings closed on 301-8.
Boult finished with 3-53 while Mitchell Sandter took 2-38. Ferguson was the most expensive of the bowlers with 1-80 from his 10 overs.
Needing 302 for victory, Martin Guptill (54), Devon Conway (56), Tom Latham (69) and Daryl Mitchell (63) combined to take the tourists within sight of victory.
James Neesham then took them over the line with 17 balls to spare with a quick-fire 34 from 11 balls to seal the match and the series.
Jason Holder was the best of the West Indies bowlers with 2-37. Yannic Corriah returned figures of 2-77.
Pooran, who dropped Mitchell on 23 off Corriah’s bowling rued the team’s failure to secure victory.
“Tough one. 300-plus on that wicket felt good. One or two wickets more in the Powerplay would have helped but they played well,” he said.
“When it (the ball) got wet, we saw how tough it got.”
He also addressed the West Indies' slow start to their innings wherein they scored only 24 runs from the first 10 overs.
“In hindsight, everyone will talk about starting slow,” Pooran said. “But we had discussed not giving away wickets to Boult and Southee and capitalize.
“But they are a top team. I do believe we have a special bunch of guys and have no doubt we will get better with experience. It was difficult with the ball once it got wet. We let go of the chance of winning the second and this happened. We won the first, lost the second and we came here, committed and fought. We will learn and have better ways.”
The former West Indies fast bowler believes that had Pooran, and a couple others, had been in the West Indies team in England this past summer, the outcome of the series might have been different.
During the #Raisethebat series in England in July, the West Indies won the first Test in Southamption only to be comprehensibly beaten in the next two matches at Old Trafford and subsequently lose the series 2-1.
Darren Bravo and Shimron Heymyer had declined invitations to participate citing safety concerns but Pooran was never considered for selection. Holding believes that had those three been there things might have been different.
“They were competitive against England without, in my opinion, three of their better batsmen. Darren Bravo and Shimron Hetmyer chose not to come and they didn’t select Nicholas Pooran, who I think is very talented and should be playing Test cricket,” Holding said during an interview with Wisden Cricket Monthly.
“If they all played I think the series would have been a lot closer and, in fact, I have an inkling that West Indies might have won because runs on the board was their problem.”
Pooran has only played three first-class matches in which he has scored 143 runs at an average of 23.83. However, the player has excited fans in the shorter forms of the game, most recently for the Kings XI Punjab in the IPL where his six-hitting and stroke making triggered debate as to whether he should take his obvious talents to the longest form of the game. Pooran averages 25.68 in T20s and 49.05 in 25 ODI matches in which he has a top score of 118.
The ongoing debate has reached the ears of CWI Chief Selector Roger Harper.
In a recent response to questions from the media regarding Pooran’s selection to the West Indies Test squad, Harper said the player would be availed of a chance to prove himself in the longer form of the game during the upcoming tour of New Zealand set to run from November 27 to December 15.
In addition to the three T20 matches in which Pooran will be involved, and two Tests, the West Indies are down to play two first-class matches from December 3-7 and December 11-15, in Hamilton and Wellington, respectively.
Harper said the Trinidadian would be given an opportunity to play in those matches.
“There was a lot of consideration given to Nicholas Pooran; we are still looking at it and I am sure as we move forward, Pooran will have an opportunity as well,” Harper said. “He is in the T20 squad and he has expressed willingness to play in four-day games that will be available during the tour."
Recently, calls have grown louder for the 25-year-old batsman to be included in the team for the game’s longest format. Pooran has put together a string of impressive performances in both the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and Indian Premier League (IPL) convincing some, including legendary West Indian batsman Viv Richards, that some of that success can be translated to the four-day format.
The batsman was not picked on the Test squad for next month’s tour but was named as part of the team’s T20 squad. Despite that, Cricket West Indies (CWI) chief of selectors Roger Harper recently revealed that the matter was being given some serious thought.
“There was a lot of consideration given to Nicholas Pooran; we are still looking at it and I am sure as we move forward, Pooran will have an opportunity as well,” Harper said.
The pair of First-Class matches are expected to take place at the same time as the Test match. The first Test is scheduled for Hamilton, between December 3-7, with the second booked for Wellington from December 11-15. Harper indicated that the team will consist of some of the T20 players and Test reserves.
"He is in the T20 squad and he has expressed willingness to play in four-day games that will be available during the tour," Harper said.
So far, Pooran has only played three First-Class matches and he has a top score of 55. In One Day Internationals (ODIs) he is considered as one of the most talented young batsmen. In 25 matches Pooran has scored 932 runs at an average of 49 with one century and seven fifties. In T20 cricket, he has 14 fifties and one hundred in 146 global matches.
The pair put on a third-wicket partnership of 187 as the hosts closed on 473-5, still 80 runs shy of the tourists.
Alex Lees and Pope picked up where they left off from day two as Lees reached his maiden Test half-century in his ninth innings, before he edged a Matt Henry (1-128) delivery to Daryl Mitchell for 67.
Root arrived and did not hesitate in building his own big partnership with Pope, not just piling on runs but doing so at pace.
The former England captain followed up his match-winning ton at Lord's with another 100 here, with this one being the fastest of his illustrious career, coming from just 116 balls.
Pope was finally out for 145 after top-edging a hook shot up in the air off Trent Boult (3-89), which Henry caught well diving forward.
A successful review against Jonny Bairstow (eight) saw him back to the pavilion after ultra edge showed a very slight spike as a Boult delivery passed his glove, with skipper Stokes next in, blasting 46 from 33 balls before hitting Michael Bracewell straight into the waiting hands of Boult.
Ben Foakes (24 not out) steadied things as he and Root (163 not out) looked to move closer to New Zealand's total with an unbroken partnership of 68, leaving the Test match tantalisingly poised heading into day four.
Welcome to the McCullum and Stokes era
With Brendon McCullum arriving as head coach of England's Test side with Stokes as captain, it was always likely to lead to more excitement.
It was therefore not all that surprising to see England finally getting Test runs, scoring 383 on the day, while also going at a potent run rate of 4.14 across the innings so far.
Three could be magic number for Pope
Pope had never even batted above four in the order until the first Test at Lord's, where he scored 17 in his two innings coming in at three.
However, he looked every bit the option McCullum will want in that role during this knock, which included three sixes, and will have pleased Root in particular, who would much rather stay in his favoured role at four.
Pope has graduated to a regular presence within Ben Stokes' side over the past year, with the rich form to back up his place.
A haul of 138 runs across December's three-game series with Pakistan further underlined his presence under Brendon McCullum.
Pope captained England against a New Zealand XI in their tour warm-up earlier this week, leading Broad to praise his abilities as a potential successor.
"I think Pope is a great leader in the group, actually," Broad said. "He's grown so much in the last year, the way he operates, the confidence and responsibility he's been given.
"He speaks really well in the group, he's got a great cricket mind. There's no doubt you can see him as a future England captain."
The 25-year-old is keeping a lid on any such notions, though.
"I don't necessarily see that," he told reporters. "I'm going to keep developing my cricket brain. If that opportunity came up in the future, I'll make sure I can learn as much as possible before then.
"But at the same time, I realise I've got a big job at number three to keep doing. If I can keep impressing there who knows what the future holds.
"I'll keep learning and developing as an all-round cricketer as much as I can. If that happens [and I become England captain], great. If not, that's okay."
The 27-year-old will be among a number of players typically recognized for their achievements in cricket's shortest format who will be looking to show that they merit consideration for the team’s Test cricket squad.
Prominently featured among that group has been T20 standout Nicholas Pooran, but Powell also believes he is capable of having a big impact with both bat and ball.
“I’m looking forward to it. I’m looking to show my all-around capabilities. Whenever I’m given the ball, to put it in the right areas and get wickets,” Powell told windiescricket.
“West Indies needs players that can bat a long time. So, I’m trying my best to go into those games and bat for a session, bat for two sessions,” he added.
Powell, who has never played Test cricket for the West Indies, has accumulated 338 runs in 11 First Class matches, with a high score of 71. The West Indies will open its tour of New Zealand with three T20 series.
The pair of First Class matches are expected to take place at the same time as the Test match. The first Test is scheduled for Hamilton, between December 3-7, with the second booked for Wellington from December 11-15.
The Proteas reached stumps at 140-5 with Kyle Verreyne (22*) and Wiaan Mulder (10*) at the crease after securing a 71-run first-innings advantage having bowled out the hosts for 293 led by Kagiso Rabada's five-wicket haul
New Zealand had resumed trailing by more than 200 runs with five wickets in hand, but de Grandhomme's 133-run sixth-wicket stand with Daryl Mitchell narrowed the deficit.
De Grandhomme remained unbeaten 120*, notching up his second Test century prior to lunch, after Mitchell was trapped lbw by Keshav Maharaj for 60.
Rabada (5-60) and Marco Jansen (4-98), who had employed a short-ball plan, finished off the Black Caps' resistance in the second session despite Neil Wagner's aggressive 21 from 18 balls that included three fours and a six.
New Zealand offered hope with three early breakthroughs, reducing South Africa to 38-3 with Tim Southee (2-28) dismissing both openers.
Southee trapped first-innings centurion Sarel Erwee lbw for 8 in the third over with an inswinger which the opener reviewed without success.
Tom Blundell pulled off a brilliant one-handed catch in the 11th over as Southee drew an edge from Dean Elgar bowling around the wicket.
Rassie van der Dussen steadied South Africa's innings with 45 before being caught and bowled by workhorse Wagner (2-44) who also took Temba Bavuma's wicket in the final session during a tireless spell.
Verreyne and Mulder took the Proteas' lead past 200, although New Zealand will remain hopeful of claiming the final five wickets promptly on day four and chasing a target below 300.
Black Caps remain hopeful
New Zealand are incredibly chasing their first-ever Test series victory over South Africa and would have been confident of achieving that after a dominant first Test triumph.
The Proteas are in control but de Grandhomme suggested there was hope within the camp. He said: "I think it's in the balance, they're a bit ahead, but if we can get a few quick wickets tomorrow, we can be back in it."
Rabada claims 11th Test five-fa
Rabada wrapped up the New Zealand batting innings with wickets from successive deliveries, utilizing the short ball for both dismissals.
The pair of wickets earned 26-year-old Rabada his 11th Test five-wicket haul but he is likely to have more work to do, ahead of the Black Caps' final-innings chase.
The Yorkshire batter struck a half-century in the seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first T20 on Wednesday.
Malan made 54 off 42 balls as England chased 140 with 36 deliveries to spare after pacemen Brydon Carse and Luke Wood took three wickets apiece to restrict the tourists to 139 for nine at Chester-le-Street.
With England having so much strength in depth these days, Malan was delighted to be in his country’s white-ball plans.
He said: “(It was) definitely relief, you look at the amount of depth we’ve got in English cricket, especially having sacrificed so many tournaments over the last couple of years to get in this World Cup squad, to get the call was extremely satisfying.
“I know there are people who’ve missed out and I have so much sympathy for them. From a personal point of view I was exceptionally pleased to get that call because I felt I’ve worked really hard to get in that squad.
“Every opportunity I’ve been given in 50 overs in my last four or five series I’ve gone and had to score the runs, doing it the tough way to get in there.
“Especially the top three, I know people compare me to Brooky (Harry Brook), but I bat top three and he bats four, five, six, so I don’t know where that comparison comes from.
“To be able to push for a place in that World Cup squad and get the call was extremely satisfying.”
England’s white-ball preparations for the World Cup continue after the New Zealand series with three ODIs against Ireland in September before flying out to India for the 50-over tournament which begins in October.
After his omission from the provisional World Cup squad, Harry Brook showed off his heavy hitting at the Riverside with 43 not out from 27 balls and Malan is determined to keep scoring in order to claim his spot for India.
“I think you always have to score runs when you play international cricket, especially when you have the depth we do here,” he added.
“It’s a provisional squad but from my understanding it’s up to us to score runs to stay in it.
“I think it would be tough, two weeks before we are flying, especially with people potentially resting for the Ireland series, to suddenly lose their place.
“But that is cricket and that’s the way life goes. Nothing is ever guaranteed until you stand on that plane.
“I try my best to score runs- that’s what I’m picked for, to score runs and win games. I am not there to please anyone, I’m there to score runs for Jos (Buttler) and (Matthew) Motty and contribute to wins.
“I feel like I have done that consistently over the last five or six years, whatever it is in white-ball cricket.”
Ashwin took 3-99, but twice failed with the bat as the tourists were hammered by 10 wickets in the opening match of the series at Basin Reserve.
Jadeja was overlooked for India's first ICC World Test Championship defeat and is pushing for a recall for a second match that begins at Hagley Oval on Friday.
Rahane gave nothing away when asked which spinner will get the nod as India attempt to tie the series in Christchurch.
"We have not taken any such decisions," the batsman said. "Ashwin had bowled really well in Wellington and he is a quality bowler; Jadeja is also a quality bowler.
"Yes, it gets a bit tough when we travel as to play whom – Jaddu [Jadeja] or Ashwin.
"But I think it is a good sign for the team when we travel outside India because both are quality spinners.
"The decision will depend on the condition of the wicket and we have to see the thought process of captain and coach and what combination they have in mind for the team. But no decision on them yet."
Virat Kohli's side were bowled out for less than 200 in both innings in Wellington, but Rahane feels they may find conditions more favourable in the second Test.
"In New Zealand as a batting unit and as a bowling unit, we've got to adapt to the conditions here," said Rahane. "Pitching areas are completely different here than in India or South Africa or Australia.
"The India A guys played here and Hanuma [Vihari] was telling us this wicket plays much better. There's good pace and bounce on this wicket... we'll have to wait and see. Assess the conditions very quickly on the first day of the game and play accordingly."
KL Rahul made a second successive half-century and Shreyas Iyer, who starred at the same venue two days earlier, contributed 44 runs as the tourists easily chased down the required 133 with 15 balls to spare.
Unlike in the series opener, the Black Caps failed to set a competitive total, with Martin Guptill (33) and Tom Seifert (33) the only batsman able to get on top of India's bowlers.
New Zealand must now win all three remaining matches to snatch an unlikely series victory from an in-form India.
Jasprit Bumrah held his place in the line-up after Friday's injury scare and was effective in restricting the home nation to 132-5 on a challenging surface in Auckland.
The seamer finished with economical figures of 1-21 from four overs as New Zealand were made to rue their decision to bat first.
Guptill fell to Shardul Thakur after building a promising 48-run opening partnership with Colin Munro (26), who followed him to the pavilion after giving Virat Kohli his second catch of the game off Shivam Dube.
The excellent Ravindra Jadeja (2-18) removed danger man Colin de Grandhomme and Black Caps captain Kane Williamson in quick succession to reduce New Zealand to 81-4 in the 13th over.
Ross Taylor (18 from 24) and wicketkeeper Seifert added 44 together to lift the total beyond 130, though it never looked like being enough to trouble India.
Rohit Sharma's departure in the opening over of the chase provided false hope to the home fans, who otherwise only had Kohli's exit for 11 - the skipper strangled down the leg side - to cheer about.
Tim Southee (20-2) claimed both key wickets but the rest of the Kiwi attack struggled to make inroads into a high-class top order.
Rahul anchored the innings with a measured 57 from 50 as he and Iyer put on 86 in 11 overs, the latter eventually well caught by Southee off Ish Sodhi (1-33) as India accelerated towards the finish line.
Half-centuries for Devon Conway (59) and Glenn Phillips (54) helped the hosts post a total of 160 all out in Napier, as they sought to level their three-game contest with the tourists. Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj each took four wickets for India.
But hopes of a grandstand finish were dashed when both sides were pulled from the field with India on 75-4 in pursuit after nine overs.
That meant Hardik Pandya's side had matched the par score under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, ensuring that with no restart, the match became a rare tie in T20 international cricket.
After a washout in Wellington saw no result, India had run out convincing victors in Mount Maunganui on Sunday to take the lead heading into this final contest.
They therefore hold on to win the series 1-0, with the two teams now set to meet in a trio of ODIs starting on Friday in Auckland.
India restore pride after World Cup
Having fallen short in the T20 World Cup earlier this month, victory over the Black Caps has been a restorative process for India over the past week, despite the weather.
With four wickets down on the scoreboard, there would have been a question over whether they were likely to catch New Zealand's total – but the weather means they have a series win to their name.
Conway and Phillips' efforts in vain
With close to 75 per cent of New Zealand's total posted between them, Conway and Phillips rescued what could have otherwise been a worryingly low score for New Zealand.
Ultimately, with Tim Southee having taken 2-29 off three overs, their efforts might have been enough to see them home, had the weather not intervened.
The tourists posted 89-1 off 12.5 overs at Seddon Park before the umpires officially called time on the match amid worsening conditions.
In a game that had already seen a break before five overs thanks to rain, it is the second game of the pair's wider limited-overs series to be washed out by the weather, along with a drawn T20 encounter on DLS.
The result means New Zealand hold a 1-0 lead from the first ODI heading into Tuesday's final game at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
The match was called off after just 14 balls due to heavy rain. West Indies were asked to bat first and reached 25-1 off 2.2 overs at Mount Maunganui.
Brandon King hit a four and a six but fell for 11 off seven balls. At the break Andre Fletcher was on four not out and Kyle Mayers unbeaten on five.
The abandonment of the match meant New Zealand won the series 2-0 following their wins by five wickets in the first match at Eden Park on Friday night and by 72 runs in the second contest at the Bay Oval on Sunday afternoon.
The two teams will now travel to Hamilton for the first Test match at Seddon Park starting on Thursday (Wednesday 6pm Eastern Caribbean Time/5pm Jamaica Time).
Finch hit 79 not out off 55 balls in Friday's series-levelling 50-run triumph to become his country's leading run-scorer in the format, with 2,310 overall.
His four sixes in the final over propelled his side to 156-6 and made Finch the first Australia batsman to reach 100 maximums in T20 cricket.
Finch was the only player who really got to grips with a tough surface, but he was just glad to help make it 2-2 after the tourists had fallen 2-0 behind.
"I've always said I'd rather get a duck and win than get some runs and lose," he said after New Zealand subsided to 106 all out, seamer Kane Richardson (3-19) the pick of the Australia attack as spinners Ashton Agar, Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa took two apiece.
"But to get some runs and contribute to a win is really nice. I felt like I was hitting them terribly for a large portion of the innings, but it was one of those wickets where you never really felt totally in, particularly when spin was bowling.
"It was nice to get a few out of the middle towards the end and get us to a decent total."
On the subject of a relaxation of coronavirus restrictions allowing for the return of fans for the final match, he added: "You play professional sport because you love entertaining, you love the atmosphere when you're at the ground.
"I love going to and watching sport, so to have fans at the ground, regardless of whether they're rooting for you or against you, is just brilliant. It provides so much."
Set 394 for victory after England posted 374 in their second innings, New Zealand crumbled to 28-5 at one stage before adding 35 runs without further losses by the close.
In the first innings of this contest at Mount Maunganui's Bay Oval, Broad and James Anderson matched Warne and McGrath as the most successful bowling partnership in Test history, with 1,001 wickets between them when playing together.
Broad ensured the England pair would hold that record outright when he bowled four of New Zealand's top order second time around, removing Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson and Tom Blundell.
Blundell made a brilliant 138 in the first innings as New Zealand recovered from 83-5 to reach 306 all out, but he could only manage a single in his second knock of the match before Broad sent the pink ball clattering into his middle stump.
England resumed on 79-2 on Saturday, having lost Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley the previous evening, and nightwatchman Broad soon departed, but Ollie Pope lofted Neil Wagner for two sixes in an over as the tourists' 'Bazball' attacking approach resumed.
Wagner later dismissed Pope for a quickfire 49, but the same bowler continued to come in for the heavy treatment as England's assault continued.
Former captain Joe Root top-scored with 57 before he was caught out when reverse-sweeping. Harry Brook made 54 from just 41 balls, and Ben Foakes weighed in with 51, while skipper Ben Stokes (31) and Ollie Robinson (39) kept the runs flowing.
With New Zealand set a daunting target, Broad made it looked all the more distant when he got to work, bowling Conway in the fourth over to break the Warne-McGrath record.
Bowling to a superb length and with a touch of movement, Broad clattered the stumps of Williamson and Latham in his next two overs, then repeated the trip to dismiss Blundell. Robinson sent Henry Nicholls on his way amid the Broad masterclass, with England having this match in their grasp.
Broad at his best
Broad ended the day with 4-21, taking him to 571 wickets in his 160th Test. He has two six-wicket hauls in New Zealand from past series in 2013 and 2018, and his best bowling figures against the Black Caps remain the 7-44 he took at Lord's, also in 2013. Those hauls could come under threat on Sunday. He and Anderson took their first Test wickets as a pairing on a trip to New Zealand 15 years ago, and they remain the doyens of this England attack.
England on the front foot thanks to nifty fifties
England's second innings was notable for its lack of an outstanding contribution. Collectively, the score was verging on being ideal, leaving New Zealand with a big run chase. But it was unusual for a team to score so heavily as a unit and Root's 57 to be unsurpassed. Given eight of the team made 25 or more, the absence of a statement individual innings hardly mattered in the end.
Chamari Atapattu (41) and Hasini Perera’s 60-run first wicket - Sri Lanka’s best opening partnership in T20Is - gave them a bright start but Hayley Jensen’s career-best bowling sent middle-order wickets tumbling at the WACA.
It took time for New Zealand to get the 128-run chase going but captain Devine led by example, becoming the only player, male or female, to register more than five consecutive 50+ scores in the format, en route to the seven-wicket victory.
The Sri Lanka openers put on an impressive 60 for the first wicket, with Devine, Leigh Kasperek and Lea Tahuhu all unable to find a Powerplay breakthrough.
But up stepped teenager Amelia Kerr to cause problems on the fast track, the 19-year-old claiming the first wicket of the evening when she bowled Perera for 20 in the eighth over.
Perera didn’t fall without her fine moments though, her scoop over wicket-keeper Rachel Priest giving the Sri Lankan contingent at the WACA plenty of reason to cheer.
Atapattu’s 41, which included five fours and two sixes, built a solid base but the Sri Lanka captain was caught and bowled by the pacey Tahuhu.
The White Ferns were able to put the brakes on thereafter, Jensen claiming two wickets in an over when Anushka Sanjeewani’s attempt over the top was caught by Bates running back before Devine caught Shashikala Siriwardena at short mid-wicket.
Nilakshi de Silva was the next to fall as the middle-order crumbled, Kerr taking the catch at backward point for Devine’s first wicket before the spinner got a second breakthrough of her own.
Harshitha Madavi kept fighting with an unbeaten 27 off 26 balls but Sri Lanka finished at 127 for seven as Jensen bagged her third.
The White Ferns chase started slowly, openers Devine and Priest failing to take advantage of the Powerplay before the latter was run out by Madavi for six.
Held at 25 for one after six overs, New Zealand were lagging a fair way behind Sri Lanka who were 51 without loss at the same stage, with Devine not at her fluent best.
But the skipper ground it out in Perth, joining up with Bates for a 40-run second-wicket stand to steady the ship.
Bates perished at the hands of Kavisha Dilhari but Maddy Green came in at four and guided the chase superbly, taking the pressure off her skipper with a career-best 29 off 20.
With less than a run-a-ball required, Devine finally freed her arms – two sixes finishing off the chase with two overs to spare as the White Ferns tasted early success in Group A.
Scores in brief
New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets, WACA Ground, Perth
Sri Lanka 127-7, 20 overs (Chamari Atapattu 41; Hayley Jensen 3-16, Amelia Kerr 2-21)
New Zealand 131-3, 17.4 overs (Sophie Devine 75 not out, Maddy Green 29; Kavisha Dilhari 1-19)
Cairns had surgery in Canberra after a "major medical event" earlier this month but was transferred to St Vincent's in Sydney for another cardiovascular operation.
The 51-year-old was reported by the New Zealand media to have suffered an aortic dissection – a tear in the body's main artery.
Cairns' lawyer, Aaron Lloyd, confirmed he has regained consciousness and has been able to interact with his family including his wife Melanie.
"I'm pleased to advise that Chris is off life support and has been able to communicate with his family from a hospital in Sydney," Lloyd said in a statement.
"He and his family are thankful for all of the support and well wishes from everyone, and for the privacy they have been afforded.
"They request that this continues as they focus on his recovery moving forward."
Cairns played 62 Tests, 215 ODIs and two Twenty20 games for the Black Caps between 1989 and 2006.
His father Lance also played cricket for New Zealand.
The new captain-coach combo have inspired England to three relentlessly entertaining Test displays – and now three wins, after Joe Root (86 not out) and Jonny Bairstow (71 no) clinched a seven-wicket victory on day five at Headingley.
England chased down 277 in the first Test and 299 in the second, and the target of 296 in Leeds never looked beyond them as they resumed on 183-2.
Rain delayed the start of play until after lunch on Monday, and Stokes' side quickly lost Ollie Pope (82) to a beauty from Tim Southee, but Bairstow picked up where he left off in his previous two innings (136 at Trent Bridge, 162 at Headingley).
His partnership with Root passed 50 inside 39 balls – the two Yorkshiremen thrilling a home crowd – but Bairstow was scoring at a far faster rate than his former captain.
Soon enough, he reached the half-century himself from just 30 deliveries – the second-quickest 50 by an England Test batsman.
Having squandered two reviews on Sunday attempting to remove Root, Kane Williamson's third went when Bairstow was caught off his forearm, rather than his glove. The batter was never concerned and swiftly resumed his assault on the New Zealand attack.
Fittingly, Bairstow finished with a four and then a six, with victory over the world Test champions wrapped up a little over an hour after the belated start.
Blistering Bairstow only behind Botham
No England player has profited as much as Bairstow from the freedom afforded him by Stokes and McCullum, with each knock seemingly better than the last.
There was little pressure on this occasion, with plenty of time and wickets in hand, and Bairstow fell agonisingly short of a long-standing Ian Botham record – his 28-ball half-century against India in 1981 briefly within reaching distance when Bairstow sent his 27th ball over the rope to reach 46.
A dot ball and a single followed before Bairstow passed 50 with his sixth four, to go with two maximums, after just 42 minutes.
India up next after unprecedented success
England have only until Friday before their next Test against India, but there will be few complaints, with the team quickly finding their rhythm under new leadership and relishing every new challenge.
India might be tempted to put England in to bat, for no target looks beyond Stokes' men when behind; they are the first Test team to chase down 250 three times in a single series.
The England batter appeared to be feeling the pressure after opening the Test against New Zealand with scores of one and 16 at Lord's, before managing just eight at Trent Bridge.
However, Bairstow delivered a knock for the ages in the second innings in Nottingham, scoring England's second-fastest Test century – from 77 balls – as the hosts chased 299 with ease.
The 32-year-old finished unbeaten on 136 before he plundered 162 in the following Test at Headingley, having come in at 21-4, and combined in a vital 209-run partnership with debutant Jamie Overton.
Bairstow continued to frustrate New Zealand in the second innings at Leeds, breezing to 71 not out, as England comfortably reached their target of 296 to complete a series whitewash of the Black Caps.
But more fireworks from Bairstow were to follow against India in the rescheduled final Test, with the Yorkshireman crafting 106 – his third century in four innings – to keep England in the first-innings contest.
India subsequently set England 378 to win and Brendon McCullum's side obliged to complete their highest successful chase in five-day cricket, Bairstow finishing unbeaten on 114 alongside Joe Root (142 not out).
That marked a sixth century of 2022 for Bairstow, which is the most by a player while batting at number five or lower in a calendar year and joint-most by an England batter in the same time period (level with Root).
Bairstow's efforts have been recognised by cricket's governing body and he will now eye further success in the upcoming three-Test series at home to South Africa before heading to Pakistan.
"I would like to thank the fans for voting for me as the ICC Men's Player of the Month," he said.
"It has been an incredible five weeks for England. It has been a positive start to our summer with four excellent wins against high-class opposition in New Zealand and India.
"We are enjoying our cricket as a team and playing with clarity and positivity. Even though I have scored four centuries in this period, I would like to acknowledge my team-mates who have been excellent in every department and are playing with immense confidence."
