4th T20I: NZ in search of first win while India look to extend lead with series in pocket (Preview)

Visakhapatnam: India and New Zealand head to this port city in Andhra Pradesh for the fourth T20I of a series already decided, but with plenty still at stake as the hosts aim for a clean sweep at the Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA–VDCA Cricket Stadium and the visitors look to salvage some pride.

Holding an unassailable 3–0 lead, India have dominated the contest so far and will see this match as another opportunity to fine-tune combinations ahead of the T20 World Cup. New Zealand, meanwhile, will be desperate to produce a more complete performance after being outplayed in all departments in the previous encounter.

In the third T20I, the BlackCaps struggled to gain momentum after being put in to bat. Early wickets put them on the back foot, forcing the middle order to rebuild rather than accelerate. Glenn Phillips stood firm with a determined knock, while Mark Chapman and captain Mitchell Santner added valuable runs, but a lack of sustained partnerships meant New Zealand could only post a modest total.

India’s bowlers were relentless, led by pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, whose pace and precision dismantled the batting line-up. The talismanic pacer returned to peak form in his second outing of the series, dismantling New Zealand with figures of 3-17.

With his pace, swing variations, and the presence of dew in Vizag, Bumrah could be primed to add further wickets to his tally. He also received strong support from Ravi Bishnoi, Hardik Pandya, and Harshit Rana, ensuring the visitors were kept well below par.

The chase was emphatic despite an early setback. Abhishek Sharma’s explosive approach immediately seized control of the match, and with Suryakumar Yadav continuing his rich vein of form, India wrapped up the target with remarkable ease and time to spare.

The dynamic Indian opener set the stadium ablaze yet again with his fearless hitting in the previous match. His blistering unbeaten 68 off just 20 deliveries, laced with seven boundaries and five towering sixes at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 340, left fans spellbound. Reaching his half-century in just 14 balls, he registered the second-fastest T20I fifty for India.

Wednesday’s clash will be the fifth men’s T20I hosted at the ACA-VDCA Stadium, a venue last used for a men’s T20I in November 2023, when India pulled off a thrilling two-wicket win against Australia.

With history, momentum, and confidence firmly on their side, India will be eyeing another dominant display, while New Zealand will be hoping Visakhapatnam offers them a chance to change the narrative before the series concludes in the fifth and final match ofthe series in Thiruvananthapuram on January 31. Victory will be a good morale-booster ahead of the T20 World Cup.

When: Wednesday, Jan 28, 7:00 PM IST

Where: ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam

Where to watch: Star Sports Network for live TV broadcast and JioHotstar for live streaming

Squads:

India: Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (VC), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Ravi Bishnoi

New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (capt), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway (wk), Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Ish Sodhi

IANS