Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram is all set to host the fifth and final T20 match. India And new zealand. With the series already in India’s lap (3-1), this finale is more than just a useless rubber; This is the final dress rehearsal before the T20 World Cup 2026 begins.
A local hero returns home
India may have lost the fourth T20 match by 50 runs, but its dominance remains intact. all eyes will be on sanju samsonWho returns to his home ground. After a series of mixed scores, there is no better stage than this in front of Kerala’s own fans to seal their place in the World Cup.
led the Indian bowling unit Jasprit BumrahWill look to consolidate things after demolishing New Zealand’s top order in Visakhapatnam. Suryakumar Yadav Despite being explosive, the anchor remains Abhishek Sharma And Shivam Dubey Provide midsection muscle.
Momentum in the Black Caps camp
After the spectacular victory in the last match, the Kiwi team has come with new confidence. Tim Seifert And devon conway finally found his rhythm at the top, and the captain michel santner Proved why he is one of the most efficient operators in this format. For New Zealand, this match is about maintaining that momentum and proving that their fourth T20I win was not just a fluke.
IND vs NZ, 5th T20I: Match Details
- date and time: 31 January; 7:00 PM IST / 1:30 PM GMT
- venue: Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram
India vs New Zealand, head-to-head record (T20I)
matches played: 29 | India won: 17 | new zealand won: 11 | no result/tied: 1
Greenfield International Stadium Pitch Report
Historically, Thiruvananthapuram has been a venue that tests batsmen’s patience rather than their strength. Unlike the flat tracks often seen in the IPL, this surface offers a unique challenge. Expect the new ball to be fast and swinging. Moisture from the nearby coast often assists the seamers, and the bounce is generally true, rewarding those who hit the deck hard. As the match progresses, there is a tendency for the pitch to catch up, bringing specialist spinners and “cutters” into play. Due to the night match being held at the end of January, there is a possibility of heavy dew in the second innings. This usually tilts the score in favor of the chasing batsmen, as the ball becomes slippery and difficult for the bowlers to control.
Also read: Ravi Shastri predicts two teams that can cross the 300-run mark in T20 World Cup 2026
squads
India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dubey, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakraborty, Ishan Kishan, (wicketkeeper), Ravi Bishnoi.
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (captain), Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Zachary Foulkes, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi.
IND vs NZ, 5th T20I: Today’s match prediction
Case 1:
- India won the toss and bowled first
- New Zealand Powerplay Score: 40-50
- New Zealand’s total score: 150-160
Case 2:
- New Zealand won the toss and bowled first
- India’s powerplay score: 50-60
- India’s total score: 170-180
Match result: The team that bowls first wins the competition.
Also read: Suresh Raina drops a surprise name for India’s potential century-scorer in T20 World Cup 2026