The five-match New Zealand vs South Africa series is currently led by hosts New Zealand. The last two matches of the series look to be evenly matched as they will feature second-tier teams from both the countries. New Zealand will play under stand-in captain Tom Latham as Mitchell Santner has departed for his stint in the IPL.
Hosts New Zealand started the series with a humiliating defeat as they were bowled out for less than 100 runs and South Africa followed suit after a long struggle. However, the hosts bounced back and did not let the lead slip from their hands. Under Santner, they leveled the series with a win in Hamilton and then took the lead with their second consecutive win in Auckland.
This means that the upcoming match is do or die for South Africa to keep their chances alive; Otherwise the last game will turn into a useless rubber. This is a good opportunity for the two T20I stalwarts to test their existing bench strength.
New Zealand vs South Africa Match Prediction: Who will win the 4th T20 match?
matching details
match: new zealand vs South Africa, Match 4, South Africa tour of New Zealand 2026
date: 22 March 2026
venue: Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington
Time: 11:45 am IST
live streaming: SonyLIV & FanCode (OTT & Mobile)
Live broadcast: Sony Sports Network
New Zealand vs South Africa Match Prediction: Head-to-Head Record
Two teams, New Zealand and South Africa, are often considered to be the unluckiest teams in ICC tournaments as, despite some stellar performances, they have not won ICC trophies. Talking about head-to-head encounters, they have faced each other a total of 23 times and South Africa has the upper hand with 13 wins, while New Zealand has made a comeback in recent times by winning 10 matches.
Pitch Report and Terms
Pitch conditions in Wellington are often largely favorable for batsmen, as the small dimensions of the ground often favor attacking play. Acting as a batting paradise, this ground often favors fast bowlers, who get good pace and bounce from the track. However, the similar bounce and speed on the ball also facilitates the batsmen in performing their strokeplay.
New Zealand vs South Africa Weather Report
Wellington is currently experiencing cool temperatures with little or no rainfall during this time of year. However, as the match progresses, the dew factor may come into play; However, there will be bright sunshine during the day.
New Zealand vs South Africa Match Prediction: Probable XI
New Zealand Playing XI: Tom Latham, Josh Clarkson, Dane Cleaver (wk), Tim Robinson, Bevon Jacobs, Nick Kelly, Cole McConchie, James Neesham, Jayden Lennox, Jack Foulkes, Ben Sears
South Africa Playing XI: Tony De Zorzi, Connor Esterhuizen, Jason Smith, Dianne Forrester, Rubin Harman, Vianne Mulder, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj (c), Nqobani Mokoena, Gerald Coetzee and Lutho Sipamla.
Toss Effect:
Such batting-friendly tracks, which often facilitate easy scoring, are affected by the toss. Although no score is considered safe on such tracks, they choose to bat first so that they can maintain scoreboard pressure to trouble the opposition batsmen.
New Zealand vs South Africa: Form and Fitness:
New Zealand batsman Devon Conway has been in great form along with two bowlers, Lockie Ferguson and captain Mitchell Santner; However, both of them will no longer be a part of the team for the remaining two matches, which could be a matter of concern for the Kiwi team. However, Tom Latham showed some remarkable form in the recent last game.
Bevon Jacobs has returned from injury and will be part of the remaining games. South Africa’s Jordan Harman has been officially ruled out of the series along with New Zealand’s Ish Sodhi.
New Zealand vs South Africa: Score Prediction:
Sky Stadium often features high-scoring situations in Wellington. The average first innings score at this venue is between 180 to 200 runs. However, chasing the target of 200 runs is an easy task on this track.
New Zealand vs South Africa players performance predictions:
New Zealand: Tom Latham, Jayden Lennox, Bevon Jacobs and Ben Sears.
South Africa: George LindeGerald Coetzee, and Keshav Maharaj.
best batsman prediction
Who will score the most runs for New Zealand? Tom Latham or Tim Robinson
Who will score the most runs for South Africa? Vianne Mulder or Tony De Zorzi.
best bowler prediction
Who will take the most wickets for New Zealand? Ben Sears or Zak Faulks
Who will take the most wickets for South Africa? Gerald Coetzee or Keshav Maharaj.
Conclusion: Who will win New Zealand vs South Africa match?
South Africa’s second-tier side have struggled with the willow more than expected. However, New Zealand’s batsmen have gradually regained their form and can win the series in Wellington. The Wellington series camp is also home to some of New Zealand’s biggest hitters. This match would be South Africa’s last chance to secure a chance to win the series.
Also read: “His batting is 10”: Former CSK opener lauds SRH’s batting ahead of IPL 2026