New Zealand vs India, 2nd T20I: After Wellington washout, rainy day awaits teams in Mount Maunganui

India and New Zealand will cross swords in the second game of the three-match T20I series on Sunday, November 20. The first match was washed off due to rain.

NZ vs IND, 2nd T20I: After Wellington, rainy day awaits teams in Mount Maunganui. Courtesy: AP

By Sabyasachi Chowdhury: India and New Zealand are set to lock horns in the second game of the three-match T20I series on Sunday, November 20 at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.

The first match, on Friday, November 18th, couldn’t take place after rain played spoilsport. The rain was heavy to the extent that even toss couldn’t take place.

The weather for the upcoming match isn’t pleasant either. There is a chance of heavy rain from 9 AM to 4 PM. But the good is that there is no chance of rain during match-time, at least for the time being.

The Indian team had already reached Tauranga where they were greeted with a performance on the traditions of New Zealand.

Players from both teams will be looking to get some cricket. New Zealand will be looking to restart after losing to Pakistan in the semi-final at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Head to head

Matches – 20, India – 9, New Zealand – 9, N/R – 0, Tied – 2

In New Zealand

Matches – 10, India – 4, New Zealand – 4, N/R – 0, Tied – 2

Suryakumar Yadav (India)

Suryakumar Yadav has smashed 60 sixes in 2022, the most by any batter in a calendar year. The same shows the form the 32-year-old has been in over the last few months. The Mumbai-born batter recently became the third-highest run-scorer in the T20 World Cup 2022 and played at a strike of nearly 190. If he gets going, the Black Caps’ bowlers will find themselves in trouble.

Tim Southee (New Zealand)

Tim Southee recently surpassed Shakib Al Hasan to become the leading wicket-taker in T20Is. Having played in a number of matches, the right-arm fast bowler isn’t short on experience by any stretch of the imagination. The conditions in Mount Maunganui are expected to be overcast and fast bowlers are expected to get a lot of assistance from the surface.

Probable Playing XIs

New Zealand

Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson (C), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, James Neesham/Mitchell Santner, Michael Bracewell, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner

India

Ishan Kishan/Rishabh Pant (wk), Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya (C), Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav/Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik