New Zealand are better organised and clinical in terms of execution and hence could start as the favourites in the first semi-final against Pakistan on Wednesday.
With the ball difficult to grip, the pacers had a tough time but once the spinners started operating India started to peg things back a little.
'Williamson, Jamieson rested from T20s as Tests key priority.'
'It's great that we're playing our neighbour on the other side of the world and in a World Cup final, and a really exciting prospect for both teams. It's another match and another opportunity for us as a team to go.'
A victory at Hagley Oval to seal a 2-0 series sweep would also push the Black Caps firmly into contention for one of two berths in June's inaugural ICC World Test Championship final at Lord's.
In other big movements, Punjab Kings have released their last edition's captain Mayank Agarwal, while West Indies skipper Nicholas Pooran was released by Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Virat Kohli's top-ranked team, with 360 points in its kitty, is certainly the favourite on paper but the Black Caps under Kane Williamson are experts at wearing down opposition with their patience
Virat Kohli inflicted more Super Overs misery on New Zealand as he helped India to a second successive victory in sudden death to win the fourth Twenty20 international in Wellington on Friday. Images from the fourth T20 International between New Zealand and India in Wellington on Friday.
'For me, I've played against Kane when I was about 14-years-old and now to be playing Test cricket with him as well. He's a very special player and probably will easily go down as New Zealand's greatest.'
India defeated New Zealand by five wickets in the first T20 International in Jaipur on Wednesday, but captain Rohit Sharma was quick to admit that his team was made to sweat for victory.
Images from the celebration of the Australia's maiden T20 World Cup win.
Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santer may have not picked up a wicket in New Zealand's thumping win over India but his tidy spell helped immensely in putting pressure on the opposition batters, said teammmate Ish Sodhi.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians in Navi Mumbai on Saturday.
It was a "dream" he had nurtured while putting in hours of hard work for years, and Axar Patel couldn't be happier that he has finally realised it at the biggest cricketing stage against teams like England and New Zealand.
It remains to be seen whether India stick to their combination of three specialist pacers and two spinners combination or bring in an extra spinner in Kuldeep Yadav to partner Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja.
An unwell Trent Boult skipped the New Zealand cricket team's training session at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Monday, staying away from the squad as a precautionary measure. The left-arm pacer is among eight players including Ross Taylor, Colin de Grandhomme, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Tim Southee and Neil Wagner, who are attending the first half of the camp that started on Sunday.
India will look to clinch the series albeit with a more impactful batting performance from the middle-order in the second T20 International in Ranchi on Friday.
Neither the batting has worked nor has the bowling clicked in the two matches played so far.
Images from Day 3 of the 2nd Test between England and New Zealand played at Edgbaston on Saturday
Pakistan will have 'revenge' on their mind for a recent off-field snub when they take on New Zealand in the T20 World Cup in Sharjah on Tuesday.
New Zealand's fast bowling department has been hit hard by injuries as Matt Henry, Doug Bracewell and Adam Milne have also been sidelined.
New Zealand's top cricketers returned to squad training on Monday at the country's High Performance Centre in Lincoln after a prolonged break caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement issued on Monday, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced that six national camps will be conducted till September. Cricket activities in New Zealand came to a halt in late March owing to the deadly pandemic.
'I was driven constantly to get better and actualise that potential. I never at any moment felt that the dream (of playing for India) sort of running away from me.'
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson admitted that playing the second leg of Indian Premier League in the United Arab Emirates helped in understanding the conditions better in the lead up to the T20 World Cup.
Images from Day 1 of the 2nd Test between India and New Zealand at the Wankhede in Mumbai on Friday.
New Zealand's three-pronged attack could spell trouble for India on a spiced-up track and Will Somerville, who played a gutsy knock in Kanpur, might have to sit out.
Rohit Sharma-led squad will be hoping it has enough left in the tank to record a maiden T20 series win in New Zealand
Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami gave an exhibition of high-quality fast bowling on Saturday, on Day 2 of India's warm-up match against New Zealand XI, sending a warning signal for the home team ahead of first Test in Wellington.
Having already won the series, Rohit and Dravid will now like to maintain a fine balance between winning and also trying out all their available resources to see how each and every individual is placed.
Rajneesh Gupta lists the Namibian players's T20 Internationals records updated after the game against New Zealand.
Tim Southee and Matt Henry removed both England openers as New Zealand reduced the tourists to 39-2 and took control of the second Test by the close of play on the second day at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Saturday.
Virat Kohli will be facing the most defining test of his captaincy career as he expects his men to be the proverbial 'phoenix rising from the ashes' when India take on a street-smart New Zealand in a do-or-die T20 World Cup Super 12 match in Dubai on Sunday.
Two more failures in two home games could effectively mean end of the road for Ajinkya Rahane, who is leading India in the first Test in Kanpur, starting on Thursday.
Images from the third T20 International between India and New Zealand, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, on Sunday.
Images from the T20 World Cup semi-final between England and New Zealand, in Abu Dhabi, on Wednesday.
Images from the T20 World Cup Super 12s match between New Zealand and Namibia, in Sharjah, in Friday.
India got off to a horror start in their practice match as youngsters Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal and Shubman Gill failed with the bat on Day 1 of the three-day game against New Zealand XI at Seddon Park, in Hamilton, on Friday. All the batsmen were dismissed by fast bowler Scott Kuggeleijn as India were reduced to 5/3 in the seventh over.
The Kiwis will have greater concern over their lack of finishing after squandering two last over winning positions in two consecutive games, and the series along with.
New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by five wickets in the first T20I of the three-match series in Pallekele.
New Zealand have drafted in two debutants in the T20 squad besides all-rounder Scott Kuggeleijen, who has played just one T20
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