Last 0-2, New Zealand rocked double whammy before needing to win Wellington T20I

New Zealand have lost twice ahead of the must-win third T20I against India, with Matt Henry ruled out for the rest of the series and Lockie Ferguson set to miss the Wellington match due to ineptitude and workload management. At 0-2 in the five-match series, the hosts face an uphill task on Tuesday, October 27, as they look to keep their hopes alive after back-to-back defeats in Christchurch.

Ferguson will travel to Auckland on Sunday to rejoin the squad for the fourth and fifth T20Is, while Henry will remain in Christchurch before linking up with the New Zealand ODI squad in Auckland on November 2. Henry bowled just two overs in the second T20I, while Ferguson also left the field as a precaution.

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“Those two are being assessed. They’re going to have some scans on the Tuesday after the bank holiday. We’ll have some more information on how things are going. Of course, as always, we’re just hoping for the best. That will allow for the quickest turnaround,” head coach Rob Walter said in a video shared by New Zealand Cricket (NZC).

“It’s been a competitive start to the T20 series with two close matches and plenty of cricket to come,” Walter said.

“We are very fortunate with the depth of the squad to be able to call on different players to help manage the workload of our pacers and try to ensure that they are best placed to perform for the team in all the cricket to come,” he added.

NEW ZEALAND REPLACEMENT SQUAD

New Zealand will rely on the depth of their squad to handle the load from their fast bowlers during a busy international summer. Blair Tickner will join the squad for the final three T20Is, while Josh Clarkson will link up with the team in Auckland for the final two matches. Matt Fisher will travel to Wellington as cover for the third T20I before returning to New Zealand A at Lincoln University on Wednesday.

Kyle Jamieson will remain after Tuesday’s game in Wellington to represent Canterbury in the second round of the Ford Trophy at Basin Reserve on October 31 before rejoining the national team for the ODI series.

New Zealand will need a strong all-round performance in Wellington to prevent India from sealing the series with two matches to spare. The fourth T20I will be played at Eden Park in Auckland on October 30, followed by the fifth in Hamilton on November 1.

The hosts will be eager to turn their fortunes around after losing both T20Is in Christchurch by four wickets. In the series opener on 22 October, New Zealand posted 225/4 but India were chasing the target with two balls to spare.

In the second T20I on 24 October, New Zealand scored 180/5, only for India to secure another four-wicket victory, this time with one ball to spare.

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