New Zealand takes on Australia in a three-match T20I series at home. The series kicks off with the first T20I in Wellington. The match starts at 11.40 am IST which is 7.10 pm local time.
Mitchell Santner will lead New Zealand with Kane Wliimaosn out of the series on parental leave. Along with him, Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell are also not a part of the squad due to injury concerns. Meanwhile, Jimmy Neesham is playing in the BPL and thus unavailable for the series.
New Zealand last played a Test series against South Africa that they won. Before that, they won a T20I series against Pakistan at home. Trent Boult is back in the side and will play the last two games. he will replace Tim Southee in the XI for the final two games.
In 16 T20Is, overall, New Zealand have won five and Australia 10. The Kiwis have won four games at home and the Aussies six. In terms of form guide for the last five T20Is for both teams, Australia have won two and New Zealand four. In this article, we take a look at New Zealand’s predicted XI for the first T20I against Australia.
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New Zealand Playing 11 vs Australia, 1st T20I, 2024
Devon Conway (WK)
Conway will open the batting. In the absence of Williamson, he is the most experienced batter in the side and will need to anchor the side with the bat. He is approaching 1500 runs in the format.
Finn Allen
Allen might open the batting with Conway. The young Kiwi opener has not been able to maximise his chances in the format. However, he scored a hundred in the last T20I series against Pakistan.
Rachin Ravindra
The southpaw will slot in at three. He has shown a lot of maturity with the bat since the ODI World Cup and also provides a bowling option in the top five. He is an all-format cricketer. He has played 19 T20Is scoring just 146 runs.
Mark Chapman
Chapman will bat at four. He made a switch from Canada to New Zealand to prolong his international career and has done a good job so far with the bat. He is approaching 1400 runs in the format.
Glenn Phillips
Phillips can bat at five and play the finisher’s role. In the absence of Daryl Mitchell, he might be promoted to number five which will give him more overs to bat. He also provides a right-arm spin bowling option.
Mitchell Santner (C)
Santner will slot in at six. He will also lead the side in the three games. He has led this Kiwi side in T20Is more than once. The Kiwis have won 12 off the 19 matches under him as captain. He has taken 17 wickets in these games.
Tim Southee
Southee will slot in at seven. He has also led New Zealand across formats. He will play only the first T20I after which Trent Boult will replace him in the last two games. He has picked up 157 wickets from 121 T20I games.
Lockie Ferguson
Ferguson will pair up with Southee as the second pacer in the lineup. His pace will be a factor in the series against Australia with the Aussies good players of fast bowling. He is one shy of 50 T20I wickets.
Matt Henry
Henry will be the third seamer in the XI. He has been injury-prone in the last few months playing games for New Zealand on and off. He last played in the 5th T20I against Pakistan in Christchurch where he took two wickets.
Adam Milne
Adam Milne will be the fourth seamer in this XI. This is a good chance for the Kiwis to unsettle the Australians with raw pace and push them on the back foot. Milne has picked up 57 wickets in 50 T20Is.
Ish Sodhi
Sodhi concludes the paying XI for New Zealand for the first T20I against Australia. he last played in the fifth T20I against Pakistan. He has picked up 132 wickets in 109 T20Is.
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