Image: India face New Zealand in thrilling T20I series opener at Seddon Park Hamilton / © Cricinfo
As the India tour of New Zealand gets underway, both teams are preparing for the first T20I of their five-match series at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on October 22 at 12:30 PM IST. New Zealand recently drew its series against Bangladesh 1-1, while India’s previous T20I series against the West Indies ended in a 2-2 draw. India have won four of their last five head-to-head encounters against New Zealand, setting the stage for an exciting contest.
However, the hosts will look to use their home advantage to challenge the reigning world champions. For New Zealand, Tim Seifert is a key batter, having scored 145 runs in his last three matches at an average of 48.33. Finn Allen and Devon Conway also provide batting strength, while Lockie Ferguson has claimed six wickets in his last five games at an economy rate of 7.48. India will rely on Abhishek Sharma, who has scored 360 runs in his last 10 matches, alongside Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson.
Axar Patel has taken 11 wickets in his last nine games, while Arshdeep Singh remains another important bowling option. Hagley Oval has hosted 19 T20Is, with teams bowling first winning 10 matches. The average first-innings score is 159. Partly sunny conditions are forecast, with a 10% chance of rain, 54% humidity and winds of 11 km/h.