Sports
India Set to Face New Zealand in Five‑Match T20 Series Amid Fatigue and Team Changes
The Indian cricket team will begin a five‑match T20 series against New Zealand in Kathmandu, arriving with fatigue from a long flight, jet lag and limited acclimatization time. India will play the first match the day after a single practice session. The team is missing key T20 players Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya. New Zealand’s ground dimensions, strong winds and ‘drop‑in’ pitches add further challenges.
Shreyas Iyer has taken over captaincy from Suryakumar Yadav and will need to score quickly and relieve pressure after missing the Ireland and England series. New Zealand’s explosive batsman Finn Allen returns to his home ground for the first time since March 2025, with a home average of 35.68 and a strike rate of 184.21.
India’s fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar has returned, but the side must decide whether to play the recovered spinner Varun Chakravarthy or field more fast bowlers, as spin all‑rounders are less effective on New Zealand pitches. New Zealand, captained by Mitchell Santner, fields a full squad but is missing Rachin Ravindra and Mark Chapman due to injury.
The first match will start at 8 PM local time, with cold weather and potential dew affecting the later stages. No team has crossed 200 runs in the last eight T20 internationals played in New Zealand, though India has won the last two bilateral T20 series on New Zealand soil.
Probable playing XI: India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (capt), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Prans Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh. New Zealand: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wk), Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (capt), Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson.
Frequently asked questions
Which key Indian players are missing from the T20 series?
India is missing Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya.
When does the first match of the series start?
The first match will start at 8 PM local time.
Who is captaining the Indian team?
Shreyas Iyer has taken over captaincy from Suryakumar Yadav.