NZ v WI 2020: New Zealand's predicted playing XI
After an extended stay in New Zealand, the West Indies are finally going to play their first international match of the series on Friday. The T20I will be hosted at Eden Park in Auckland. There will be two more T20Is, both of which will be played at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.
All the West Indies players have now cleared their COVID-19 tests and have reached the venue for the match. The final practice sessions will take place today in Auckland, and the match will begin at 11:30 AM IST (07:00 PM local time).
As we are gear up for the start of the much-awaited encounter, let's take a look at New Zealand's probable eleven for the first T20I.
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New Zealand's predicted playing XI
Batsmen
There won’t be a lot of doubts about Martin Guptill batting at the top of the order and Ross Taylor batting at number four. Tim Seifert will keep the wickets for the New Zealand side. He has already made headlines scoring 457 runs on the international stage at a strike rate almost touching 140.
Devon Conway has earned his place in the side through the sheer weight of numbers in domestic T20 cricket. He has averaged 57.38 in 2019 at a strike rate of 143.89 in 2019 and 62.20 at 148.10 in 2020. He will make his debut for the New Zealand side in all probability, opening the batting alongside Guptill.
Glenn Phillips is coming off an excellent season for Jamaica Tallawahs in the CPL where he averaged over 35 runs an innings. He is another candidate to open the batting but may come in at number three with Conway in the side.
All-rounders
Jimmy Neesham did not have a great IPL by any standards, but he is still pretty handy cricketer in the New Zealand conditions. He can hit the ball a long way and contributes 2 to 3 overs with the ball every match.
New Zealand will be led by Mitchell Santner in the third T20I. He is coming off a decent CPL where he conceded less than a run a ball with his bowling. Santner is certain to make the playing eleven for the first T20I.
Bowlers
Captain Tim Southee will lead the bowling attack of the New Zealand side in the first two T20Is. Lockie Ferguson, who had a fabulous IPL, will share the new ball with his captain.
Hamish Bennett played all the T20I games against India in the home series earlier this year, but he went for plenty of runs. It needs to be seen if Southee will stick with him or hand a T20I debut to Kyle Jamieson. It could be a good idea to start with Bennett, given that Jamieson last played a T20I in early 2019.
The West Indies batsmen generally have a weakness against wrist-spin and the selection of Ish Sodhi in the New Zealand eleven is a no-brainer.
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Playing XI:
Martin Guptill, Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips, Ross Taylor, Tim Seifert (wk), Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee (C), Lockie Ferguson, Hamish Bennett, Ish Sodhi