India begin five-match T20I series in New Zealand on Thursday
India start their T20I series in Christchurch on Thursday as part of a full-format tour. Eight squad members make their first visit to New Zealand.
India open a five-match T20I series against New Zealand at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Thursday. The tour also includes five ODIs and two Tests, with the T20Is serving as preparation for the 2028 T20 World Cup jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
Shreyas Iyer captains a squad that includes Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma. New Zealand, led by Mitchell Santner, will field Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell and Tim Seifert. The Hagley Oval pitch typically assists seam bowling, with an average first-innings score of 161 in the last five T20Is there.
Matches will be broadcast on Sony Sports Network and streamed on SonyLIV. The series begins less than 72 hours after India’s 2-2 draw against West Indies at home.