3rd T20I: India aim to seal series versus New Zealand
What's the story
India will look to continue their winning streak and clinch the three-match T20I series against New Zealand at Guwahati's Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Sunday. The hosts have been in phenomenal form, winning the first match by 48 runs and chasing down the target in the second match with 28 balls to spare. There would be a lot of concerns in the NZ bowling department as they head into this do-or-die contest. Here is the preview.
Venue details
Pitch conditions at Barsapara Cricket Stadium
The pitch at Barsapara Cricket Stadium is known to be a batsman's paradise with its flat surface and hard, red soil. It provides true bounce and carry, making it ideal for stroke-play. The initial overs may offer some swing to seamers due to evening moisture and light grass cover, but the track quickly turns into a belter. One can watch the match live on the Star Sports Network and stream it on the JioHotstar app/website (7:30pm IST).
Match recap
India's sensational show in the series
In the first T20I, India batted first and set a target of 190 runs, winning by a massive margin of 48 runs. In the second T20I, New Zealand batted first and scored 208/6 in their 20 overs. Rachin Ravindra contributed a counter-attacking 44, while skipper Mitchell Santner smashed an unbeaten 47. However, India, led by Ishan Kishan (76 off 32 balls) and captain Suryakumar Yadav (82* off 37 balls), chased down the target with seven wickets in hand.
H2H
A look at the head-to-head record
As per ESPNcricinfo, India are ahead of New Zealand in terms of head-to-head record. The two sides have clashed in 27 T20Is, with India winning 16 of them. This includes a couple of Super-Over wins. NZ have won 10, while one resulted in a tie. The Black Caps have so far met India 13 times in T20Is on Indian soil. While the hosts emerged winners nine times, NZ clinched the other four matches.
XIs
Here are the probable XIs
New Zealand (Probable XI): Devon Conway, Tim Seifert (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), Zakary Foulkes, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy. India (Probable XI): Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Player focus
Key players to watch out for
Abhishek Sharma, the top-ranked T20I batter, has a strike rate of 190-plus in T20I cricket. His average goes over 36. Mitchell Santner's last six scores in T20Is are 36(15), 55*(28), 18*(8), 4(3), 20*(13), and 47*(27). Varun Chakravarthy was India's highest wicket-taker in T20Is last year, having claimed 36 wickets at 13.19. Tim Seifert's 559 T20I runs in 2025 came at an average of 50.81 (SR: 164.4).
Poll
