IND vs NZ | India and New Zealand take to the field last time in Thiruvananthapuram before T20 World Cup

The fifth T20I between India and New Zealand will take place on January 31, 2026, and will be the final match of the five-game series. After four matches, India leads 3-1. India has looked more confident throughout the series, especially in matches where they have been chasing the target. New Zealand will be counting on tighter top-order batting and discipline in bowling. The conditions of the evening match may play an important role in the choice of tactics.

Form Guide

India is approaching the series finale in good form. The team has won four of its last five matches, including three consecutive victories over New Zealand in this series. The only defeat in the last match showed that the team is still vulnerable when it makes mistakes in defense.

New Zealand has had an uneven few weeks. After defeating the West Indies, the team lost three consecutive matches to India before managing to win the fourth T20I. This indicates consistency issues, but also shows that the team is capable of adapting and responding after unsuccessful games.

India: W W W W L

New Zealand: W L L L W

India vs New Zealand Head-to-Head

In recent years, India has won more often in head-to-head matches, especially in home series. At the same time, most matches between the teams have been competitive, and the difference in score has rarely been large. 

India 15-11 New Zealand

Pitch and Weather

The Greenfield International Stadium pitch usually provides equal conditions for batting and bowling. At the start of the innings, fast bowlers can get a little help from the surface, especially with a new ball. As the match progresses, the surface becomes more favorable for batters. In evening games, dew often appears here, making the second innings easier for the team chasing the target. 

The weather on match day is expected to be dry with no rain. The temperature during the day will be around 32-33°C, dropping to 22-24°C in the evening.

The captain who wins the toss is likely to choose to bowl first.

Team News

India does not expect any major changes to its lineup ahead of the final match. The team will continue to rely on a strong top order and varied bowling. Experienced middle-order players and bowlers will play a key role at the end of the innings.

After winning the fourth match, New Zealand may keep the same lineup. The team will be counting on a more confident start from the openers and accurate work from the spinners in the middle of the innings.

India (Probable XI): Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah

New Zealand (Probable XI): Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wk), Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (c), Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Ish Sodhi

Broadcasting Platforms

The India vs New Zealand match will be broadcast live on Star Sports. The online broadcast will be available via JioHotstar, where you can also follow the live score and commentary.