After the rain marked an unwanted presence, the third T20I between India and New Zealand is set to kick off at McLean Park in Napier on Tuesday. The visitors have the upper hand in the series as they lead 1-0. It would be a matter of pride for the Kiwis to end this rain-curtailed series with a win in the final game so that the scoreline reads 1-1 at the end.
Meanwhile, New Zealand won the toss and stand-in skipper Tim Southee opted to bat first. The veteran right-arm quick had to step in the captain’s shoes as Kane Williamson opted out of the game due to a ‘pre-scheduled medical appointment’. Batsman Mark Chapman has been roped in as Williamson’s replacement for the game.
India vs New Zealand 3rd T20I Live Score
“We will bat. Looks like a pitch where we can put the runs on the board. We can’t really control the weather, but the history of this ground suggests good batting conditions. Our bowling the other night wasn’t the best, but credit to SKY. Mark Chapman comes in straightaway. You look back at places where we can improve as a team,” said Tim Southee after winning the toss.
Indian captain Hardik Pandya was satisfied to bowl first; something the team wanted to do if they had won the toss. The visitors have also made a change – fast bowler Harshal Patel has replaced all-rounder Washington Sundar in the line-up.
“We wanted to bowl first anyway, so we got what we wanted. I think the pitch will remain the same for the entire 40 overs, but with the grass on it, there could be some lateral movement for our pacers. We do keep the dimensions in mind, but we do have the skill set in our bowling line-up. We can’t think too much about the conditions – One change, Harshal comes in place of Washington Sundar,” Pandya said at the toss.
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Here are the playing XIs:
India: Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya(c), Deepak Hooda, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal.
New Zealand: Finn Allen, Devon Conway(w), Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee(c), Lockie Ferguson.
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