Punjab Newsline,Sports :
When and where the matches will be played, start time and key details
The Indian cricket team will play its first T20 International match of the year today, Wednesday. Led by captain Suryakumar Yadav, Team India will face New Zealand in the opening match of the five-match T20 series. The match will be played at the Vidarbha Cricket Ground in Nagpur and will begin at 7:00 PM.
The five-match T20 series between India and New Zealand is considered very important for Team India, as it will be the final bilateral series before the upcoming T20 World Cup. India will host the T20 World Cup starting from 7 February, and this series will give the team a crucial opportunity to assess player form, combinations, and overall preparedness ahead of the mega tournament.
A major highlight of the series is the return of star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah was rested during the recently concluded ODI series against New Zealand, but he is back in the squad for the T20 matches. His return is expected to significantly strengthen India’s bowling attack. At the same time, Team India will be eager to bounce back after losing the three-match ODI series 1–2 against the New Zealand side.
From a head-to-head perspective in T20 Internationals, India holds a slight advantage over New Zealand. The two teams have played a total of 25 T20 International matches so far. Out of these, India has won 12 matches, while New Zealand has emerged victorious in 10 games. Three matches ended in a tie. Overall, India has won around 48 percent of the encounters, while New Zealand has won about 40 percent.
India’s record against New Zealand in T20 matches on home soil is even stronger. At home, India has played 11 T20 Internationals against New Zealand and won 7 of them, while losing only 4 matches. This gives India a home win percentage of nearly 63 percent against the Kiwi side.
Considering the strong home record, the return of key players, and the importance of the series ahead of the T20 World Cup, Team India will enter the Nagpur T20 as strong contenders to start the series on a winning note.