India's experiment in the fourth T20I against New Zealand in Vizag ended with a disappointing result. India suffered their second-worst defeat in terms of runs at home. New Zealand hammered India by 50 runs, and Tim Seifert and captain Mitchell Santner played a major part in that win. Now, these two teams will meet in the final T20I on Sunday. This contest will be live from Greenfield International Stadium on January 31 at 7 PM IST.
This is the last game for these sides ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. So, winning this game and taking the momentum will be important. Both sides will look to put their best possible combination on the field, and a cracking contest awaits the fans in Trivandrum. Sanju Samson's form is still a concern for India, and New Zealand also have some injury concerns.
IND vs NZ: Match Info.
·Series: New Zealand tour of India 2026
·Match: India vs New Zealand, 5th T20I
·Venue: Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram
·Time: 7:00 PM IST
·Date: January 31, 2026 (Saturday)
India vs New Zealand: Head-to-Head: IND (17) – NZ (11)
Until now, India have locked horns with New Zealand 29 times in total. Team India have won 17 T20Is, and New Zealand have 11 wins under their belts, while there is also a no result.
IND vs NZ: Pitch Report
The pitches for the ongoing series have been brilliant for batting. That is what these teams will get in Trivandrum. It is one of the flattest wickets in India, where big totals are the norm. The ground is not big, and the squad boundaries will be shorter. The outfield is fast, and bowlers will have a tough time bowling here.
IND vs NZ: Live Streaming Details
·TV: Star Sports Network
·Digital: Jio Hotstar (App or Website)
IND vs NZ: Weather Report
The weather forecast for Saturday evening in Trivandrum shows cloudy conditions during the game. The humidity will be between 55 and 65 percent, with the temperature going down to 24°C and a moderate wind speed of 4 kmph.
New Zealand: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mitch Santner (c), James Neesham, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy
IND vs NZ: Probable Best Batter
New Zealand: Tim Seifert is a free-flowing batter, and he can take the bowling apart like he did in the previous game. India need to dismiss him early, or else he can be very hard to stop.
India: Abhishek Sharma has established himself as India's top match-winner with the bat. If he plays for 6-7 overs, New Zealand will come under pressure.
IND vs NZ: Probable Best Bowler
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner finally found his form, and his spell in Vizag broke India's backbone in the chase. He can be lethal if there will be some grip in the wicket.
India: For India, Jasprit Bumrah will be important because he can take early wickets, which can put New Zealand on the back foot.
India vs New Zealand Today’s Match Prediction:This game promises to be a high-scoring thriller. New Zealand have understood the pattern of the Indian team, and they managed to execute their bowling plans well. That is how they will target in this game also. But India will also be back with added strength, which will make this game worth watching.
The playing conditions will be flat, and it is all about batting well here. Hence, this Indian batting unit is superior to that of New Zealand. The bowling unit is also more experienced and skillful if we compare it with New Zealand. These are some reasons that India are expected to beat New Zealand in the final game.
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