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As the series shifts to the Northeast, India stand on the cusp of another home series victory. After a clinical 48-run win in Nagpur and a record-breaking chase in Raipur, the Men in Blue lead the five-match series 2-0. For New Zealand, this is a must-win encounter to keep the series alive and reclaim the momentum they built during their historic ODI series win earlier this month.
India’s batting has been relentless. Ishan Kishan (76 off 32) and Suryakumar Yadav (82* off 37) decimated the Kiwi attack in Raipur. With the series lead, India might continue to rest Jasprit Bumrah to manage his workload ahead of the T20 World Cup in February.
The Black Caps have posted 190+ and 200+ in the first two games but haven’t been able to defend those totals. Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra have been in fine touch, but the bowling unit specifically the death overs execution, needs a massive lift.
IND vs NZ, 3rd T20I: Match Details
- Date and Time: January 25 (Sunday); 7:00 pm IST / 1:30 pm GMT
- Venue: Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati.
IND vs NZ, Head-to-Head Record (T20Is):
Matches played: 27 | India won: 16 | New Zealand won: 10 | No result/Tied: 1
Barsapara Cricket Stadium Pitch Report
The Barsapara Cricket Stadium surface is widely regarded as a batter’s haven, boasting a flat deck made of firm red soil that ensures consistent bounce and good carry. Fast bowlers may find a hint of swing in the early overs thanks to evening moisture and a light grass covering, but the pitch soon settles and turns into a true run-scoring track that encourages free-flowing stroke play. With compact boundaries and a rapid outfield, conditions are primed for a high-scoring contest. Adding to the challenge is the heavy evening dew, which makes the ball hard to control, particularly for spinners, often pushing captains to opt for chasing as the smarter tactical move.
Squads
India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer (first three T20Is), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vc), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravi Bishnoi
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Kristian Clarke (first three games), Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Ish Sodhi
Also READ: Top 5 highest successful chases by Team India in T20I cricket
IND vs NZ, 3rd T20I: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- India wins the toss and bowls first
- New Zealand powerplay score: 50-60
- New Zealand total score: 200-210
Case 2:
- New Zealand wins the toss and bowls first
- India powerplay score: 70-80
- India total score: 220-230
Match result: India to win the contest
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