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India Aims For Maiden T20 Win Against NZ:- A maiden win against the New Zealand in the first Twenty20 International (T20I) match will be aimed by the team India, after a brilliant performance in the One-Day Internationals (ODIs). The T20I match is scheduled to be held on Wednesday.
Along with veteran pacer Ashish Nehra signing off with the first match at his home ground, some promising players taking the field will also be witnessed in the three-match T20I series. Many cricket pundits, seeing the recent performances, may have put their money on the Indian team. But, World No.1 New Zealand with their cent percent record against the hosts, could also turn the tables.
In New Zealand, the two teams faced off twice - once in South Africa and twice in India. The New Zealand won all the five matches. In the New Zealand squad, there are several match winning players like Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, apart from skipper Kane Williamson, who have the ability to change the game at any time.
In place of injured legs-pinner Todd Astle, the experienced batsman Ross Taylor was also recalled to the New Zealand set-up. This indeed will give a boost to their batting department. In the ODI series, the bowlers have shown their class. The key in the shortest format would be experienced pacer Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme. On the slow Ferozshah Kotla pitch, spinners Ish Sodhi, Adam Milne could add much more to their bowling line-up, if they bowl on the right areas.
On the other hand, many boxes in the ODI series have been ticked by team India. But, in both the departments, they would like to improve the performance. Youngsters like Shreyas Iyer, Lokesh Rahul and pacer Mohammed Siraj would want to make their mark and other batsmen like Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik in order to register their maiden T20I win, would like to continue their momentum.
Ashish Nehra will play a crucial role in the first match, in the bowling department, if Virat Kohli include him in the squad. Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who played brilliantly in the recently concluded series would support Nehra. In the spin friendly wicket, spinners - Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal - will also play an important role.
So, it will interesting to watch if India could to change their fortunes this time around or not, with the records favoring the visitors.
Squads India: Virat Kohli (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Lokesh Rahul, Manish Pandey, Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Ashish Nehra (only for first T20I).
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Trent Boult, Tom Bruce, Colin de Grandhomme, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Glenn Phillips (wk).
SUPRAJA
