NZ v WI 2020: Eden Park Auckland pitch report and weather conditions
New Zealand will host their first international cricket match since March 2020 on Friday, as the Kiwis are set to square off against West Indies at Eden Park in Auckland.
The two sides will fight it out in a three-match T20I series, with the two-time T20 World Cup champion West Indies going in as favorites.
The Caribbean players have been brilliant in the game's shortest format. On the other side, the Blackcaps are on a seven-match losing streak in the T20I format.
They lost their previous series 0-5 to the Indian cricket team, while England had defeated them in the two T20I games prior to that series.
The shorter boundaries of the New Zealand grounds will assist big-hitters present in both squads. Here's a look at the pitch report and weather conditions in Auckland ahead of the first T20I.
Eden Park Auckland pitch report
Australia recorded the highest successful run chase in T20I history against New Zealand playing at Eden Park in 2018. The pitch has produced many high-scoring encounters in the last 15 years.
Since the upcoming match between New Zealand and West Indies will start at 7:00 PM local time, the batsmen will likely enjoy themselves in the middle. It will not be a surprise if both teams manage to post over 200 runs on the board.
Home captain Tim Southee will have to use his bowlers well in Auckland because the Kiwis have lost their last four T20Is at this stadium.
Eden Park Auckland weather conditions
The skies will be cloudy during match time in Auckland. The temperature is expected to stay around 18 degrees Celsius, while the humidity levels will remain around 77%.
There is a 15% chance of rain, meaning that there could be a few interruptions in this T20I game.