IND vs NZ, 3rd T20I: Pandya elects to bat
India will look to pocket the series in the third and final T20I on February 1. Suryakumar Yadav (26*) held one end as India chased down the 100-run target to level the series 1-1. Meanwhile, NZ can't afford to come up short in this fixture. The news from the center is that Hardik Pandya has won the toss and opted to bat.
Pitch report, timing, and broadcast details
The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will host this affair. Spinners are more likely to dictate the show than pacers. The venue boasts an average first innings score of 152. Sides batting first have won five of nine matches played here. The match will be telecast live on Star Sports Network (7:00 PM IST) and live-streamed on the Disney+Hotstar app (paid subscription).
Here's the head-to-head record
India own a 13-10 win-loss record against NZ in T20I cricket (tied: 1). The Men in Blue routed the Kiwis 1-0 in 2022. New Zealand last won a bilateral T20I series versus India in 2019.
Here are the key performers
Against NZ, Suryakumar Yadav has scored 260 runs in seven matches at 52.00 (100s: 1, 50s: 1). Kuldeep Yadav has claimed 46 T20I wickets at 14.21. Pacer Arshdeep Singh has pocketed 21 wickets in the death overs, averaging 12.85. Devon Conway has slammed 1,233 runs at an average of 47.42 (50s: 9). Glenn Phillips has amassed 1,383 runs at 32.16 (100s: 2, 50s: 8).
Both India and NZ make one change
For India, pacer Umran Malik comes in place for leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. As for New Zealand, left-arm pacer Ben Lister replaces Jacob Duffy.
A look at the Playing XI of both sides
New Zealand (Playing XI): Finn Allen, Devon Conway (wk), Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Ben Lister, Blair Tickner. India (Playing XI): Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (wk), Rahul Tripathi, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (c), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Shivam Mavi, Kuldeep Yadav, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh.
