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.
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
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.
Rohit Sharma-led squad will be hoping it has enough left in the tank to record a maiden T20 series win in New Zealand
'The conditions were very wet, so credit to the bowlers. I have bowled a lot, going forward I want to see more bowling options. This will not work always but I want more batters to chip in with the ball.'
Images from the celebration of the Australia's maiden T20 World Cup win.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2024 after Game 46.
Glenn Phillips scored a half century off 33 balls as New Zealand thrashed the West Indies by 90 runs in the second Twenty20 International to take a 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Chasing 142 for a win in the dead rubber, Bangladesh never looked comfortable as they lost two wickets in the first over, thanks to brilliant bowling from skipper Southee.
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.
'We had real belief and trust in someone called Riyan Parag. We have been backing him for the last three-four years and he just showed it to the world today.'
Images from the T20 World Cup match between Afghanistan and New Zealand, in Abu Dhabi, on Sunday.
India were expected to try out a bunch of players after another World Cup debacle but if the team combination for the second T20 was any indication, they seemed reluctant to start with a clean slate.
As curtains dropped on the third day of the first Test against New Zealand, England strengthened their stranglehold with Stuart Broad ripping through the Kiwi top-order at the Bay Oval.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson doffed his cap to pacer Mohammed Shami and the India team after his side was outplayed in the World Cup semi-final.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the 3rd Test played between England and New Zealand at Headingley on Saturday.
New Zealand built a lead of 238 with three second innings wickets remaining on Monday heading into a delicately poised final day of the second Test against England in Nottingham.
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.
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.
Ishan Kishan had to sit out of the Sri Lanka series despite scoring the fastest double hundred in the history of ODIs against Bangladesh.
As Mohammed Shami walked back to the top of his run-up, Virat Kohli geed the fans at the Wankhede Stadium to go full throat with their chants - Shaamii! Shaamii! They obliged merrily.
'When you play for India, there are loads of expectations. We are watched, people come to the stadium and everyone who plays for India needs to embrace that and cope with it. We haven't done that in these two games, and that's why we haven't won.'
Martin Guptill will play in his seventh T20 World Cup and Devon Conway will keep wickets in addition to his batting duties at the tournament
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2024 after Match 54.
'Shami always knew that he would be required at some point in time and for that he was always prepared.'
India opener Mayank Agarwal and New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel have made huge progress in the ICC Test Player Rankings after outstanding performances in the second Test of their ICC World Test Championship series in Mumbai.
Ishan Kishan has made a massive jump to enter the top 10 among T20 batters.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam has surpassed India's Virat Kohli in becoming the world No.1 T20I batter for the longest period of time after he maintained his top spot in the latest ICC T20 batting rankings.
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.
'Great players go through phases like this and we wanted to get him in the game straightaway'
Royal Challengers Bangalore will be aiming to halt the Jos Buttler juggernaut when they take on Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League match at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Tuesday.
An annoyed Rohit Sharma slammed the broadcaster Star Sports for showing his century in the third ODI against New Zealand was the first in "three years" as the skipper pointed out he hardly played any 50-over matches during the period.
Joe Root scored his fastest Test century while Ollie Pope struck a superb 145, as England launched a stirring fightback to reach 473/5 at the close of play on the third day of the second Test against New Zealand on Sunday.
Rajasthan Royals would aim to build on their promising start to the season when they take on Royal Challengers Bangalore, a side that is yet to unlock its potential.
Rajasthan Royals' director of cricket and head coach Kumar Sangakkara believes they have a 'very competent' squad at their disposal to script a turnaround after three dismal IPL seasons.
'Williamson, Jamieson rested from T20s as Tests key priority.'
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.
'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.'
IMAGES from the 3rd ODI played between India and New Zealand in Indore on Tuesday.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for Friday's second T20I against New Zealand?
