Cricket / India Face New Zealand in Final T20 at Thiruvananthapuram
Key Points
- India lead series 3-1 despite last defeat.
- Ishan Kishan "most likely play" the final match.
- New Zealand aim for consolation victory.
- Last T20I for both teams ahead of World Cup.
Thiruvananthapuram,
Jan 31: India will take on New Zealand in the fifth and final T20 International
at the Greenfield International Stadium here on Saturday evening, officials
said.
The match
scheduled to begin at 7 PM IST.
The Men in Blue, led by Suryakumar Yadav, have already secured the series with an unassailable 3-1 lead, despite suffering a 50-run defeat in the fourth T20 at Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.
The final encounter offers India an opportunity to finish on a high, while New Zealand will look to salvage pride and end the tour with a morale-boosting win.
In the previous match, India’s batting faltered against disciplined Kiwi bowling, resulting in their first loss of the series. New Zealand, led by a strong performance from their middle order, posted a competitive total and backed it up with sharp fielding and effective use of variations.
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For India,
the focus will be on regaining batting rhythm, particularly at the opening slot
ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav is expected to
lead from the front, while the likes of Abhishek Sharma Hardik Pandya and
Shivam Dube aim to contribute significantly. The bowling unit, spearheaded by Jasprit
Bumrah, will look to tighten lines and lengths after an inconsistent outing in
Visakhapatnam.
Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said Ishan Kishan, who missed the last match with
a niggle, will "most likely play" this one. Axar Patel, another one
who's missed the last three T20Is after hurting his bowling hand, will be in
contention.
Also Read: T20 WC 2026: ICC Announces 24 Match Officials For Group Stage
New Zealand,
meanwhile, will rely on their experienced campaigners to challenge India’s
dominance. With the series already decided, the visitors may play with freedom,
making the contest potentially high-scoring and entertaining for the crowd in
Thiruvananthapuram.
India Probable XI: Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar
Yadav (c), Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep
Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh
New Zealand Probable XI: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), Zakary Foulkes, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy
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