India and New Zealand will lock horns for the one last time in the five-match T20I series before both the teams tussle in the longer formats
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Reigning world T20 champions India face New Zealand for the fifth and final time in the series concluding T20I today at the Seddon Park in HamiltonThe match will begin at 12:30 PM IST with the visitors already winning the series after securing an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series.
While New Zealand bounced back with an impressive 87-run victory in the fourth T20I in Auckland, India will look to finish the series with another winThe hosts, meanwhile, will aim to carry their momentum into the final game and end the series on a positive note.
With both teams preparing for the final contest, weather conditions and the nature of the Seddon Park surface will be important factors.
Hamilton weather forecast
The weather forecast in Hamilton looks favourable for the fifth T20I, with no major rain threat expected during the matchAccording to the latest forecast, the conditions are expected to remain mostly clear in the evening, with temperatures hovering between 12 degree Celsius and 15 degree Celsius during playing hours.
The temperature could drop further as the match progresses, making it a cool evening for the playersRain chances remain very low, suggesting that a full 40-over contest is likelyWinds are also not expected to have as much impact as they did during the previous match at Eden Park.
Seddon Park pitch report
Seddon Park in Hamilton has traditionally been a good batting venue, with its surface offering consistent bounce and carryBatters are likely to enjoy the conditions, and another high-scoring contest could be on the cardsThe ground has generally favoured stroke-makers, although fast bowlers can find some assistance with the new ball.
Spinners will need to rely on variations and accuracy to control the scoring rateThe relatively short boundaries will also make it difficult for bowlers to contain aggressive batters.
What Has Happened In The First Four T20Is?
India took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series after winning the first three matchesIn the opening T20I in Christchurch, New Zealand posted 225/4, with Glenn Phillips scoring an unbeaten 82India chased down the target with four wickets to spare, thanks to Sanju Samson’s 67 and Naman Dhir’s unbeaten 42.
India won the second T20I by four wickets after restricting New Zealand to 180/5Glenn Phillips (70) and Bevon Jacobs (58) were the main contributors for the hosts.
The third match saw India produce a stunning chase of 199 in just 13.2 oversAbhishek Sharma smashed 113 off 38 balls, while Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 45.
New Zealand bounced back in the fourth T20I, scoring 259/7 before bowling India out for 172/9 to register an 87-run victoryGlenn Phillips scored 107 off 49 balls, while Jacob Duffy picked up four wicketsIndia lead the series 3-1.
