The series started with New Zealand leading the head-to-head record 8-3, and after four matches, which also witnessed back-to-back Super Over matches, India now have need one more win to make it 8-8. The Kiwis won the first five matches the teams met, and now, India are looking for an almost improbable looking whitewash. Can Virat Kohli & Co make it 5-0? Well, we will know that today (February 2). (More Cricket News)
What happened so far?
It's been one stirring tour for India, so far. The T20I leg started with two comfortable wins, by six and seven wickets respectively at Eden Park, Auckland; then two stunning Super Over wins, snatching victories from the jaws of defeats. In Hamilton, Mohammed Shami produced a sensational last over to force the one-over shoot-out, then Rohit Sharma hit back-to-back sixes to win the third match. It was mayhem at Seddon Park as India celebrated their first-ever Super Over with a win. Having taken an unassailable 3-0 lead, both the stars were rested for the penultimate match. But, there's no dearth of matchwinners. Shardul Thakur did a Mohammed Shami at Westpac Stadium, before Virat Kohli hit the winning runs, a four off the stand-in skipper Tim Southee. The veteran bowler faced the same fate in the previous match. It was even crazier scenes at Wellington. Another common scene, though, was KL Rahul's brilliance.
For the record, India's T20I record in New Zealand is 5-4 against the hosts.
What to expect?
India are likely to make more changes. Virat Kohli can even afford to have a rest, thus letting Rohit Sharma lead the team. Rishabh Pant may also get a game, and Kuldeep Yadav can come in for Yuzvendra Chahal. For the Kiwis, both Martin Guptill and skipper Kane Williamson are likely to miss the match. What's the point aggravating the injuries, that too in a dead rubber. But again, this is an international match and this is Williamson's home game. Many decisions to take.
Bay Oval is known for its windy conditions, and batsmen often dominate the bowlers. Expect lots of runs. But don't expect another Super Over.
Here's everything you need to know about the match:
Match: India's Tour Of New Zealand 2020, 5th T20I Match
Date: February 2 (Sunday)
Time: 12:30 PM IST
Venue: Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
Head-to-head: 15 - New Zealand 8-7 India.
Live Streaming: Live streaming of the New Zealand vs India, T20I, ODI and Test series will be available online. You will have to download the Hotstar app to watch live streaming. Payment details are available when you subscribe. The match can also be streamed live on the Jio TV app and Airtel TV.
TV Telecast: All the matches of the tour can also be watched LIVE on the following TV channels: Star Sports 1/HD, Star Sports 2/HD, Star Sports 1 Hindi/HD, Star Sports SELECT 1/HD, Star Sports 1 Tamil.
State broadcaster Doordarshan will also telecast the match live in India.
Sky Sports NZ holds the official broadcast rights of the tour and Sky Sports will telecast the matches in the UK, Ireland and New Zealand.
Squads
India: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan replaced by Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (wk), Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), Hamish Bennett, Tom Bruce (for games 4-5), Colin de Grandhomme (for games 1-3), Martin Guptill, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Colin Munro, Ross Taylor, Blair Tickner, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee.
