The Blackcaps have missed out on a first whitewash against the West Indies in the Caribbean, losing the third and final T20, beaten by eight wickets at Jamaica's Sabina Park.
Chasing 146 for victory, the West Indies reached their target with an over to spare, as stand-in captain Rovman Powell hit Jimmy Neesham for six to seal the win at 150/2.
Defeat ends the Blackcaps' 16-match winning streak in white ball cricket, and is New Zealand's first loss in limited overs matches in 2022.
Batting first after winning the toss, the Blackcaps struggled to replicate the display that saw them hit a record 215/5 in game two.
On a used wicket, nearly all of the Blackcaps batters struggled, with only Glenn Phillips (41) able to score at a strike rate of more than 130 from the top order.
Phillips hit four boundaries in two sixes, and combined in a partnership of 47 with captain Kane Williamson, before a late flurry of wickets restricted the Blackcaps.
Aside from Phillips, only Williamson (24) and Devon Conway (21) made it past 20, as the Blackcaps reached 145/7 at the end of 20 overs - their lowest total of the series.
Odean Smith finished as the West Indies' star performer with the ball, taking 3/29 across four one-over spells.
Chasing 146 to avoid a series whitewash, the West Indies' openers added a 50-run stand in 40 balls, as Brandon King took just 30 balls to bring up a half-century.
Brooks struck four fours and three sixes in his first 50 runs, taking a liking to Ish Sodhi's leg-spin, en route to adding the highest partnership of the series alongside Shamarh Brooks.
At 102/0, King fell when he top edged a pull shot off Tim Southee (1/37), caught by Martin Guptill for 53, while Devon Thomas added only five before he holed out to Sodhi (1/36).
But at the other end, Brooks remained and reached his first half-century in T20 Internationals from 52 balls, finishing with an unbeaten 56.
Needing two runs from the last seven balls, Powell sealed the win with an over to spare, clearing the fine leg boundary to send Neesham over the ropes for the winning runs, and pull the series scoreline back to 2-1.
Both sides will now leave Jamaica for Barbados, where they'll play a three-match ODI series, starting on Thursday (NZ time).
NZ 145/7 (Phillips 41, Williamson 24; Smith 3/29) West Indies 150/2 (Brooks 56 not out, King 53; Sodhi 1/36)
West Indies win by eight wickets
