3rd T20I: New Zealand, South Africa eye lead in Auckland
What's the story
The third T20I match of the five-match series between New Zealand and South Africa will be played at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday. The Proteas started with a seven-wicket win, while New Zealand bounced back in Hamilton to secure a convincing 68-run win. Notably, the final two T20Is will be played in Wellington and Christchurch, respectively.
Pitch conditions
Pitch report and weather
Eden Park is known for its small boundaries, making it a haven for aggressive strokeplay. However, fast bowlers can ace the Powerplay by extracting pace and bounce. Notably, the average first-innings score at this venue is around 170. According to the weather forecast, the cloudy overhead conditions in phases could favor the bowling side. Meanwhile, the game will get underway at 11:45am IST.
Meetings
A look at head-to-head record
Coming to the head-to-head record, the two sides have clashed in 22 T20Is, with South Africa winning 13. The remaining nine games have gone in NZ's favor, as per ESPNcricinfo. The semi-finals of the recent T20 World Cup saw NZ beat SA for the first time across six meetings in the tournament. At home, New Zealand have won just two of their six T20Is against the Proteas.
Probable XIs
Probable XIs
NZ (Probable XI): Devon Conway, Tom Latham (wicket-keeper), Tim Robinson, Nick Kelly, Mitchell Santner (captain), James Neesham, Cole McConchie, Josh Clarkson, Lockie Ferguson, Kyle Jamieson, and Ben Sears. SA (Probable XI): Tony de Zorzi, Connor Esterhuizen (wicket-keeper), Rubin Hermann, Jason Smith, Dian Forrester, Wiaan Mulder, George Linde, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj (captain), Nqobani Mokoena, and Ottneil Baartman.
Recap
How the series has panned out
In the series opener at Bay Oval, SA bowled NZ out for a paltry 91 in 14.3 overs. They comfortably chased down the total in 16.4 overs. However, the hosts bounced back at Seddon Park, posting 175/6 in 20 overs. A concerted bowling effort from NZ meant SA perished for 107. The Kiwis now have an opportunity to take the lead.
Player spotlight
Key players in spotlight
In Hamilton, Conway became the first player to record a 50-plus score in the series. He smashed a 49-ball 60 and will have the spotlight in Auckland as well. NZ seamers Lockie Ferguson and Ben Sears troubled the Proteas batters with three wickets each in Hamilton. For SA, opener Connor Esterhuizen scored an unbeaten 45 in the series opener. However, his strike rate was under 100 in both matches. George Linde has made an impact with his all-round skills.