New Zealand, Australia clash in dead rubber in Auckland: Preview
New Zealand and Australia will lock horns in the 3rd and final T20I at Eden Park, Auckland, on Sunday. The Aussies lead the three-match series 2-0, making the final match a dead rubber. This will be the final T20I for the two teams before the all-important ICC T20 World Cup. Star players Devon Conway and David Warner will miss the match.
Pitch report, timing, and broadcast details
Eden Park, the venue for the previous game, will host the 3rd T20I. Sides bowling first have won 12 of the 30 T20Is here with the average first-innings score being over 160. The track is known to offer substantial assistance to both pacers and spinners. The match won't be live telecasted in India. Amazon Prime Video, however, will provide live streaming (05:30am IST).
Australia have an edge over NZ
The Australian cricket team boasts a 12-6 win-loss record against the Kiwis in T20I cricket (including Super Over games). Before this series, the two sides last met in the format in the 2022 T20 WC. NZ comprehensively won the group-stage game by 89 runs. Meanwhile, on NZ soil, Australia have eight wins and four defeats against the home team.
Conway, Warner to sit out; other updates
Star wicketkeeper-batter Conway will sit out after sustaining a thumb injury in the second game. Tim Seifert has come in as a replacement. Meanwhile, fast bowler Jacob Duffy has also joined NZ's squad ahead of the match. On the other hand, Warner has been ruled out of the game due to an adductor injury. Australia could rest Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.
A look at the Probable XIs
NZ (Playing XI): Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wicket-keeper), Will Young, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Mitchell Santner (captain), Adam Milne, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult, and Ben Sears. Australia (Playing XI): Travis Head, Steven Smith, Mitchell Marsh (captain), Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis, Tim David, Matthew Wade (wicket-keeper), Spencer Johnson, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, and Mitchell Starc.
Here are the top performers
Australian skipper Mitchell Marsh has been in blazing form. He is the leading run-scorer of the series, having smashed 98 runs from two matches at a strike rate of 150.77. Travis Head owns a strike rate of 186.49 after two games. New Zealand seamer Lockie Ferguson has five wickets at 7.00, including a four-wicket haul. Mitchell Santner and Adam Zampa have two scalps each.
