Guwahati, Jan 25 (IANS) Riding high on confidence gained after taking a 2-0 lead in the five-match series, India will look to seal the five-match T20I series when they face New Zealand in the third T20I match at the ACA Stadium, Barsapara in Guwahati on Sunday.

India delivered a powerful statement in the second T20I at Raipur, where they pulled off a stunning chase of 208 in just 15.2 overs to take a 2-0 lead, underlining their dominance in the series and momentum ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

It was the second-highest successful chase in India’s T20I history. Only India’s 211/4 against Sri Lanka in Mohali in 2009 stands above it, with the Raipur effort also eclipsing chases of 209/4 vs West Indies (Hyderabad, 2019), 209/8 vs Australia (Vizag, 2023), and 204/4 vs New Zealand (Auckland, 2020).

The emphatic finish was also the biggest win by balls remaining for a full member nation while chasing a target of over 200. It surpassed Pakistan’s 24-ball victory against New Zealand in Auckland in 2025 and Australia’s 23-ball win over West Indies in Basseterre that same year.

Batting first, New Zealand struggled for stability early on before Rachin Ravindra counterattacked with a brisk 44 off 26 balls to rebuild the innings. India’s bowlers shared the workload effectively, with Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Hardik Pandya, and Shivam Dube claiming one wicket each, while Kuldeep Yadav stood out with two crucial breakthroughs.

New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner anchored the latter half of the innings with an unbeaten 47 off 27 balls, guiding the visitors to a competitive total of 208 for 6.

India’s reply, however, quickly swung the contest in their favour despite the early setbacks of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson. Ishan Kishan launched a fierce counterattack, smashing 76 runs at a blistering strike rate.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav then produced a vintage knock, remaining unbeaten on 82 off 37 deliveries to register his first T20I half-century after a long gap, which helped India secure a seven-wicket win.

India will be hoping that they continue to ride the momentum in the third match and continue to do so till the T20 World Cup 2026.

The Barsapara Cricket Stadium has hosted seven T20I matches, with three won by teams batting first and three by teams bowling first, while one match ended in a draw. The average first-innings score at the venue stands at 161, while teams batting second have averaged 153. The highest total recorded at the ground is 237 for 3 by India against South Africa, while the lowest total is 118 all out by India against Australia.

Dew will play a big role in the match and could be a crucial factor in deciding the outcome. The team bowling second will face its implications as it is expected to settle down in the night at Guwahati. The team winning the toss is likely to choose to bowl first.

Kuldeep Yadav is closing in on a major milestone in T20I, needing just eight more wickets to reach the landmark of 100 wickets in the format. Glenn Phillips is also approaching a significant fielding achievement, as the Black Caps star is only four catches away from completing 150 catches in T20 cricket.

Meanwhile, Rinku Singh is 59 runs short of reaching 3,500 runs in T20, underlining his growing impact in the shortest format.

With the series still in its early stages, India will be keen to carry forward the confidence gained from the opening matches. The team management is unlikely to make any changes in the playing XI as they aim for a 3-0 lead.

New Zealand, meanwhile, will be eager to bounce back from the disastrous start. The visitors will be looking for a stronger bowling effort and greater consistency from their batting lineup as they seek to counter India’s aggressive style.

When: Sunday, Jan 25, 7:00 PM IST

Where: Baraspara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati

Where to Watch: Star Sports Network for live TV broadcast and JioHotstar for live streaming.

Squads:

India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Ravi Bishnoi

New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (captain), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway (wicket-keeper), Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Ish Sodhi.

–IANS

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