NZ vs AUS Preview | New Zealand aim to continue winning streak in T20Is, set to face Australia in series opener

ByUmesh Sharma,SportsCafe Editor

Yesterday at 11:30 PM

New Zealand and Australia will face off each other in the first T20I of the three-match series at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on October 1. The Blackcaps will aim to continue their winning dominance with a win in this game, with an advantage of home conditions, against the Aussies.

New Zealand skipper Michael Bracewell and Australia skipper Mitchell Marsh

New Zealand are coming off an amazing win in the T20I tri-series against South Africa and Zimbabwe earlier this year in July. They have registered five consecutive wins in their last five T20Is. In their previous fixture against South Africa, they won the game by a narrow margin of three runs. Now, they will eye to continue their winning streak with a win against the Aussies in the first T20I of the three-match series.

On the other hand, Australia have been through a decent run of form in their last five T20 internationals, with four wins and only one defeat. They are coming off a 2-1 win against South Africa in the three-match T20I series, which concluded in August. Before that, they also won two games successively against the West Indies.

Form Guide

NZ: W W W W W

AUS: W W W L W

NZ vs AUS Head-to-Head in T20Is

New Zealand and Australia have taken on each other in 19 T20 internationals, with Australia dominating this head-to-head battle with 13 wins, while New Zealand has won only six games. So, the Kiwis will be eyeing improving their numbers against the Aussies in the head-to-head rivalry.

Pitch and Weather

A mild spring afternoon greeted both teams. The Bay Oval pitch had a light grass tinge but was firm underneath, ideal for strokeplay once set.

Early seam and swing were on offer with some breeze across the ground, but dew was expected later, making chasing attractive. The temperatures will be hovering around 18 degrees Celsius, with the light rain expected.

Team News

Both New Zealand and Australia will be playing in the first T20I of the three-match series, so they will aim to field their best playing XI on the field to win this game and take a 1-0 lead.

New Zealand Probable XI: Devon Conway, Tim Seifert (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell (c), Zakary Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry, and Jacob Duffy.

Australia Probable XI: Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (c), Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Owen, Tim David, Matthew Short, Alex Carey (wk), Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Adam Zampa, and Josh Hazlewood.

Broadcasting Platforms

The first T20I of the three-match series, between New Zealand and Australia, will be streamed live on the Sony Sports Network and the SonyLIV app in India.