New Zealand vs India, NZ vs IND, Today Match Prediction 18 November 2022

nz vs ind Match Prediction & Analysis

India’s search for the right combination in T20Is continues as they now flirt with the idea of a new captain leading a young side overseas. 

None of the senior players barring Kohli made any impact in the T20 World Cup in the big games. And it is high time India looks ahead and finds players with an approach that’s befitting of the modern game. 

New Zealand have selected a strong squad that features almost all of their key players including a struggling Kane Williamson. Add the home conditions to that and you’ve got a strong challenge for the Indians. 

The T20 game has changed a lot since India won the title back in 2007. The approach to batting has evolved and most of India’s players were stuck in the past, playing old-fashioned cricket. 

This new-looking squad under Hardik Pandya will give the selectors an idea of who can be the potential replacements for many of the seniors in the coming years.

TEAMS PREVIEW

New Zealand Preview

The Blackcaps started their T20 World Cup campaign in style and were cruising until the wheel came off in the semi-final. Williamson’s inconsistency has hurt New Zealand of late and his strike rate is also a major concern. 

There are attacking batters throughout the NZ lineup. From Finn Allen at the top to Glenn Phillips in the middle and Neesham in the lower order, there are power hitters at all positions.

Kane Williamson doesn’t seem to fit in this mix. While Daryl Mitchell also has the ability to steady the innings and play an anchor role, the batting all-rounder can well adjust to the situation and pace his innings when required.

There is no Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, and Martin Guptill in this squad. Those are the only changes from the T20 World Cup squad and the rest is the same.

Adam Milne and Blair Tickner are likely to get a chance in the XI for the India series. The opposition has some excellent T20 players who can clear the small boundaries in New Zealand with ease. As such, there will be a very small margin for error for NZ pacers.

Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner are also key bowlers who’ve done well against India in the T20Is. Santner allows for depth in the batting lineup coming in at number 7. He can score some quick runs in the death overs.

New Zealand Predicted Playing XI:

Finn Allen, Devon Conway (wk), Kane Williamson (c), Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Adam Milne

India Preview

This will be the start of something new for India’s T20 side. They have been under heavy criticism post their World Cup campaign. A traditional approach to batting, backing out of form senior players, and poor captaincy are some of the accusations. 

And to a large extent, they make sense. KL Rahul, India’s T20 opener, who openly claims that strike rates are overrated and continues his poor form, was given way too many chances. 

Finally, India will see some deserving candidates return to T20Is. Shubman Gill at the top can be a potential replacement for Rahul in the long run. 

Another key batsman who can change the fate of Indian cricket in T20Is is the wicket-keeper batsman Sanju Samson. His heroics in the RR camp as the captain of the franchise did get him a few international games but not a spot in the World Cup.

He is part of this NZ tour and will be expected to be part of the playing XI. Umran Malik, a genuine pacer, also deserves another chance and under Pandya, he can be shaped to become a key bowler in the Indian arsenal.

Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav are also back in the squad and are joined by another spin-bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar.

India Predicted Playing XI:

Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya (c), Washington Sundar, Mohammad Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

It is a drop-in pitch used at this venue in Wellington and is batting-friendly as most drop-in pitches are. Rains are expected on the match day in Wellington with a high of 20 degrees Celsius.

Venue Details

Rain has affected many of the games played at the Sky Stadium in Wellington. The average 1st innings score at this venue is 154 runs which isn’t very high. But given the weather forecast, we reckon a 165 total can be a match-winning one.

Toss: To Bat

In the 19 T20Is played at this venue, teams batting second have won 10 which makes it an even contest between batting first and second. Both teams would prefer to bat first given the weather conditions. Having runs on the board would be helpful if the DLS method comes into play.