NZ vs IND 5th T20I Preview: India juggle and spin in Hamilton
India will have a lot to prove when they take on New Zealand in the fifth and final T20I in Hamilton. After dominating much of the series, the visitors were finally brought back down to earth in the previous match, with New Zealand ending the losing streak and giving themselves something to celebrate. India will now be keen to show that the defeat was just a change rather than the start of a late wobble.
Under Shreyas Iyer, India will be keen to rediscover authority have shown in previous matches. Their aggressive approach allowed them to put New Zealand under pressure for most of the series, but the previous outing revealed a few areas that need attention. The batsmen will want to make better use of their starts while the bowling attack will look to regain control after the hosts manage to find some momentum.
The question is also how India will approach the final match, with the ODI series against New Zealand starting on November 4. The visitors have the opportunity to test their strength on the bench, but they will not want to experiment at the cost of a strong finish. A win would restore some confidence and allow India to close the T20I stage on their terms.
New Zealand, meanwhile, have a chance build on their breakthrough result. With the hosts struggling to keep India in check for most of the series, they will be confident of finally getting a better performance out of them. Another win would see them finish strong in front of their home crowd, although repeating that performance against a side desperate for a response will not be easy.
Hamilton should provide an interesting setup for the final. Seddon Park is traditionally a good place to bat, with first innings scores averaging close to 179 in T20Is played there. The chasing side have also enjoyed a better record, suggesting that the draw could influence proceedings.
India will want the last word. The streak may be coming to an end, but they will be determined to finish on a high.
NZ vs IND 5th T20I: PITCH REPORT
Seddon Park has generally been a good place to bat, with the numbers pointing to another potentially high-scoring contest. The teams’ first batting averages have averaged around 179 in the 14 T20Is listed, while totals of 200 or more have been posted on several occasions.
The chasing sides have also had decent success, winning eight of those matches. The relatively compact boundaries should encourage attacking cricket, especially when the batsmen get into them.
A first innings total of 180-190 could be competitive but both teams will be looking to cross 200 if conditions allow.
NZ vs IND 5th T20I: WEATHER FORECAST
Conditions are expected to remain favorable for the evening clash, with the fifth T20I unlikely to be interrupted by rain. AccuWeather is predicting just a 3% chance of rain during the afternoon, with the chance remaining negligible into the evening.
Temperatures during match hours are expected to hover around 18-19 degrees Celsius, meaning relatively cool playing conditions. Skies could be partly clear, but there is no threat of weather interruptions. Both teams should be able to finish the contest without much worry of rain.
NZ vs IND 5th T20I: TEAM NEWS
India have some selection calls to make heading into the final T20I, especially with the ODI series just around the corner. The option of being a substitute could open up opportunities for players who haven’t featured much on this tour. Arshdeep Singh could be rested, which would put Bhuvneshwar Kumar in contention to return.
India could also use this game to solve their spin problems. Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy have both watched from the sidelines so far, but one of them might finally get a look. Shivam Dube is another option that India might want to explore given that he has sat out the entire series.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s prospects are less straightforward. With Ishan Kishan back and the top order largely settled, his inclusion would likely require one of the regular openers to be released. India may prefer to stick with its established combination instead.
New Zealand are less likely to play with their XI. After the loss against India ended for good, the hosts could support the same group that won. Matthew Fisher has also given them reason to stick with him, taking three wickets in his two appearances so far.
NZ vs IND 5th T20I: PREDICTED XI
India: Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (WK), Shreyas Iyer (C), Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Nitish Reddy, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Prince Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar
New Zealand: Tim Seifert (WK), Finn Allen, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Bevon Jacobs, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (C), Nathan Smith, Adam Milne, Jacob Duffy, Matthew Fisher
– The end