New Zealand opt to bowl against West Indies in T20I series opener
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to bowl in the first T20 International against West Indies at Eden Park, Auckland, marking the beginning of a new era for the Black Caps following Kane Williamson’s retirement.
After back-to-back T20I series losses to England and Australia — both affected by rain — New Zealand are looking to regroup despite several key absences, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Injuries have sidelined opener Finn Allen, wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert, and pacer Lockie Ferguson.
Seamer Kyle Jamieson returned to the lineup after recovering from a side strain, while Devon Conway took up wicketkeeping duties.
West Indies, meanwhile, enter the series in good form after rebounding from a shock defeat to Nepal with a 3-0 sweep over Bangladesh. They were boosted by the return of quick Matthew Forde, who replaced Khary Pierre in the XI, though Sherfane Rutherford was ruled out due to illness.
With both sides preparing for the upcoming T20 World Cup in just three months, the series promises competitive cricket. Clear weather in Auckland and Eden Park’s short boundaries suggest a high-scoring contest, although the Decision Review System (DRS) will not be available due to technical issues.
Playing XIs:
New Zealand: Tim Robinson, Devon Conway (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner (capt), Zakary Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Jacob Duffy.
West Indies: Shai Hope (capt, wk), Alick Athanaze, Brandon King, Roston Chase, Ackeem Auguste, Rovman Powell, Jason Holder, Romario Shepherd, Matthew Forde, Akeal Hosein, Jayden Seales.
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