New Zealand Vs India 2020: 5th T20I, Mount Maunganui — Preview

Basically, it’s about two ingredients at the moment – Super Over and New Zealand, a fairytale that never fails to amaze the spectators. The Black Caps just can’t escape from the clutches of a super over and now India have beaten them twice in the space of three days in two breathtaking one-over eliminators.

Well, Kiwis had still not moved on from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 final defeat and the ghost of the super over has come once again to haunt them. The way New Zealand has dealt with super over, it seems that the Kiwis and Super Over is an unrequited love story that doesn’t have a happy ending.

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India, on the other hand, seems quite ecstatic after the victory in the fourth T20I. The team has reasons to celebrate as it has become the first team to beat New Zealand in four consecutive T20Is at their home.

Virat Kohli and his boys have proved to be the dictators throughout the series and will now look forward to a clean sweep.

However, the team might see certain changes coming in for the final game of the series.

Team India Eye A Clean Sweep:

Team India is on a roll at the moment. The young and confident Indian side has proved to dominate the Kiwis on multiple occasions throughout the series.

Every game has seen a hero arising for team India and this time when India’s batting saw a breakdown, Manish Pandey helped the team to reach a respectable total. His half-century proved to be a valuable contribution that helped the visitors finish on a high.

India will now eye a clean sweep in Mount Maunganui when they take on the hosts for the final time in this format before the ICC World T20.

Date and venue: February 02nd, 2020, 12:30 pm, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui.

New Zealand vs India 2020 – Playing Combinations:

India:

Since India is looking to whitewash Kiwis, the team might go with the full-strength squad. We might witness the return of Rohit Sharma as Sanju Samson once again failed to deliver with the bat. Mohammed Shami could also be back in the side and India might remove Washington Sundar from the Playing XI.

Yuzuvendra Chahal could be a part of the final squad after his performance against the hosts in the fourth T20I.

Predicted XI: Rohit Sharma, Manish Pandey, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, K.L. Rahul, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzuvendra Chahal, and Shardul Thakur.

New Zealand:

New Zealand, on the other hand, will play for pride in the final game of the series.

No team has ever clean-swept the Kiwis in a five-match T20I series at their home. Captain Kane Williamson might be back in the final XI and Tom Bruce might see his exit.

The Kiwis are expected to play a full-strength squad for the final game of the series.

Predicted XI: Ross Taylor, Tim Southee, Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson (c), Hamish Bennett, Colin de Grandhomme, Colin Munro, Ish Sodhi, Tim Seifert (wk), Mitchell Santner, Blair Tickner.

New Zealand vs India: Head to Head –

Played – 15

New Zealand won – 8

India won – 7

New Zealand vs India 2020: Match Prediction –

India are on the brink of creating history. They could become the first team to clean sweep the Kiwis on their home turf in a five-match T20I series.

Kohli has been average with the bat throughout this series and grand innings might be on the verge. Captain Kohli and his boys will go full throttle when they face New Zealand in the final match and win the series 5-0.

For New Zealand, however, it will be a matter of pride. They will want to avoid humiliation at all costs.

Hence, Kane Williamson could make a way back into the team. It will be an exciting battle when the top teams of international cricket faceoff in the final T20I of the five-match series and we can expect another thriller of a contest at Mount Maunganui.

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