Cricket fans are in for a thrilling contest as New Zealand and England lock horns in the three-match T20I series starting at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on October 18. Both sides will look to set the tone early, with the Blackcaps eager to bounce back from recent setbacks and England aiming to continue their winning momentum.
New Zealand eye redemption after mixed results
The Blackcaps have experienced an inconsistent run in their recent T20I outings, winning two and losing two of their last five matches, with one game ending in no result. Their most recent encounter saw them suffer a narrow three-wicket defeat to Australia. Prior to that, rain interrupted one game, while they also went down by six wickets in the preceding fixture against the same opposition.
With their form dipping slightly, captain Mitchell Santner and his men will be determined to get back to winning ways at home. New Zealand’s bowling attack, led by Matt Henry, and Kyle Jamieson, will be expected to fire, while the batting department will rely on experienced campaigners like Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra to anchor the innings.
England look to maintain winning streak
England, meanwhile, enter the series brimming with confidence after a dominant 2-0 triumph over Ireland in September. Their aggressive batting approach and disciplined bowling proved too strong for the Irish side. The Three Lions have enjoyed an impressive run in their last five T20I games, registering three victories alongside two no-result matches.
Skipper Harry Brook will once again lead a formidable English lineup, featuring explosive batters like Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, and Brook. England’s bowling unit, which includes Sam Curran and Adil Rashid, will look to exploit the conditions in Christchurch and keep the Kiwi batters under pressure.
When it comes to T20I encounters between the two sides, England have a clear edge. Out of the 27 matches played so far, England have emerged victorious 16 times, while New Zealand have claimed 10 wins, with one game ending without a result. The Kiwis will look to narrow this gap and make home advantage count, while England will aim to extend their dominance.
Squads:
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Bevon Jacobs, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Tim Seifert (wk)
England: Harry Brook (c), Rehan Ahmed, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler (wk), Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Luke Wood.
Broadcast and Live Streaming details:
- UK: TNT Sports1
- New Zealand: TVNZ+, TVNZ 1
- South Africa: Super Sport Action
- India: Prime Video, SonyTEN, SonyLIV, FanCode
- Pakistan: Tapmad
- Australia: Fox Sports
