3rd T20I: India eye another series to cap off eventful overseas run

India's win in Auckland was their first T20I success in New Zealand.

For the second time during India‘s long overseas period of touring that began in November, a limited-overs series enters the final match with the teams locked all-square. A hammering of New Zealand at Eden Park on Friday has put India level with the hosts after two matches, which sets Sunday’s final T20I in Hamilton as a tasty decider.

India’s seven wicket win in Auckland is their first in T20Is in New Zealand, and came on the back of a very fine performance in the field. To keep New Zealand to 158/8 while conceding just one boundary in the last seven overs represented a dramatic turnaround after the record 80-run loss in Wellington. Chasing 159, India were off to a flier as Rohit Sharma bulldozed his way to a brilliant half-century in just 29 balls which included three boundaries and four hits over the fence

Now, with the series up for grabs, India need an encore to take the trophy. (ALSO READ: Always special when you contribute to a win: Krunal Pandya)

Victory will end a successful run away from home from November, which spans a shared T20I contest, historic Test series and 2-1 ODI triumph in Australia and the 4-1 ODI success over New Zealand.

New Zealand, even factoring in the umpiring howler that accounted for Daryl Mitchell, were undercooked in their batting on Friday. Once the openers were dismissed the batting gave way as Krunal Pandya grabbed three wickets for three runs in nine deliveries, and only a maiden T20I fifty from Colin de Grandhomme averted a disaster. Such performances, when Rohit is in such devastating touch, do not win you games of cricket.

Match details:

What: India vs New Zealand, 3rd T20I

When: Sunday, January 10

Where: Seddon Park, Hamilton

Time: 12:h30 IST

Weather: Mostly sunny with a high of 28 degrees

Team news:

New Zealand

The uncapped fast bowler Blair Tickner and Doug Bracewell are the two players who have not got a game yet. Scott Kuggeleijn could make way for one of them.

Likely XI: 1 Colin Munro, 2 Tim Seifert (wk), 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Colin de Grandhomme, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Scott Kuggeleijn/Doug Bracewell, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Ish Sodhi, 11 Lockie Ferguson

India

An unchanged XI won them the game at Eden Park, so why change anything?

Likely XI: 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Vijay Shankar, 4 Rishabh Pant, 5 Dinesh Karthik, 6 MS Dhoni (wk), 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Krunal Pandya, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Khaleel Ahmed

Stats:

• Rohit Sharma needs two sixes to become the highest six-hitter in T20Is. The leader is Chris Gayle and Martin Guptill with 103.
• New Zealand have won six of eight T20Is at Seddon Park.

Quotes:

“It’s going to be a cracker of a game in the 3rd T20I, but nothing to take away from New Zealand, they’re still a quality side.” – Rohit Sharma

“I suppose the performance in Wellington was going to be difficult to replicate. We missed a trick or two with the bat.” – Kane Williamson

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