New Zealand captain Kane Williamson won the toss and opted to bat first against Australia in their World Twenty20 Super 10 match at Dharamsala on Friday. The Kiwis are on a high after beating hosts India in their Group Two opener and a second win against their trans-Tasman rivals will put them on course for a place in the semi-finals. After their brave gamble to pick three specialist spinners paid off against India, New Zealand decided to bolster the pace attack, dropping off-spinner Nathan McCullum to accommodate Mitchell McClenaghan. "It's nice to get a win early and hopefully we can make an adjustment again on a new wicket," captain Kane Williamson said. Australia captain Steven Smith said he too would have liked to bat first on a dry wicket at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium.
New Zealand spinners claimed three wickets in the morning session but India extended their advantage to a daunting 308 runs by lunch on the fourth day of the first Test at Kanpur's Green Park Stadium on Sunday.
Mohit Sharma finished off CSK's hopes with an inspirational spell in the middle overs.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing for the World Cup match against New Zealand?
Chapman (57-ball 104 not out) combined with Jimmy Neesham (45) to overhaul the 194-run target and stun Pakistan
Once rated as one of the top batters of this generation, Virat Kohli's stock has fallen quite rapidly in Tests in recent years.
New Zealand survived Ravindra Jadeja's late onslaught to stun India by 18 runs in a low-scoring thriller on Wednesday and reach the ICC World Cup final for the second time in a row.
New Zealand's campaign has hit a disheartening flatline after their early domination and the Kiwis will have to rediscover their bowling mojo for a World Cup reboot when they face knocked-out Sri Lanka in Bengaluru on Thursday.
India were caught in a spin web on the Ranchi pitch as they lost the series opener by 21 runs on Friday.
Pakistan were all out for 260 in 47.2 overs with Babar Azam (64) and Khushdil Shah (69) scoring half-centuries but the hosts never looked in the hunt.
Four New Zealand players, including Kane Williamson and Tim Southee, were given go-ahead by New Zealand Cricket to join their respective Indian Premier League teams without taking part in the home white-ball series against Sri Lanka.
With the series on the line, captain Hardik Pandya is unlikely to make changes despite clamour for inclusion of Prithvi Shaw.
New Zealand's combination of quality spin bowling and sharp fielding gives them a good chance of winning a maiden T20 World Cup title in Australia this year, in-form batsman Glenn Phillips said.
Jimmy Neesham's scintillating performance with bat and a gutsy cameo by Mitchell Santner overshadowed Kieron Pollard's heroics
Dhoni put up a valiant 50* but it was not enough as KKR ran out winners in the end
Given the Indian batting line-up's weakness against swinging deliveries, New Zealand could go in with an all-pace attack with the pitch likely to offer pace and bounce.
The lack of fight in the run chase was a big disappointment, as mentioned by captain Rohit Sharma in Wellington. Despite having eight batsmen in the eleven, India lost by 80 runs.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin claimed six wickets as India crushed New Zealand by 197 runs in the first Test in Kanpur.
Mitchell Santner believes the upcoming limited overs series in his home country against India could be a high-scoring affair
Part-time spinners Ish Sodhi and Martin Guptill bagged three wickets each as Zimbabwe folded on the final day of the second test to hand New Zealand a comprehensive 254-run victory on Wednesday. New Zealand won the two-match series 2-0 after bowling Zimbabwe out for 132 in their second innings, though the home side were also hampered by poor umpiring decisions.
Mitchell Santner's experience of playing for Chennai Super Kings in various Indian grounds has proved to be very handy for the New Zealand side, which will bank on its premier spinner to inflict damage on hosts when the two teams lock horns in Dharamsala on Sunday.
pener Colin Munro smashed a career-best 109 not out to help secure New Zealand's series-levelling 40-run victory in the second Twenty20 International against India, in Rajkot, on Saturday.
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.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index after 23 World Cup 2023 games.
Kohli congratulated Watling as both India and New Zealand stepped out to the field on the Reserve Day of the ongoing WTC final
Ambati Rayudu will be aiming to make a statement when a marauding Chennai Super Kings take on a desperate Sunrisers Hyderabad
KKR with 12 points from 12 games would like to win the next two encounters to ensure a smooth passage while CSK, currently at the bottom of the eight-team table, are only playing for pride.
Since the start of the century, India have made it to two finals and two semis in five ODI World Cups but have just ONE title to show for. It's high time to end that barren run!
Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra singh Dhoni has been fined 50 per cent of his match fee after his fierce-on field argument with the umpires during his team's thrilling last-ball win over Rajasthan Royals in the IPL in Jaipur on Thursday.
James Vince's knock of 59 runs enabled England to defeat New Zealand by seven wickets
New Zealand's cricketers, including skipper Kane Williamson, who are quarantining in Maldives after the suspension of IPL 2021 last week might head to England this weekend for an upcoming two-Test series, head coach Gary Stead said.
Ben Stokes hit his 11th ODI half century as he guided England to a six-wicket win over New Zealand in the second game of their five-match series at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Wednesday.
Pakistan were dismissed for 271, chasing a victory target of 372, with 4.3 overs remaining in the Test at Bay Oval.
Martin Guptill has been recalled to the New Zealand Test squad for the two-match tour of England after the top-order batsman finished top scorer at the recent 50-over cricket World Cup.
England face unbeaten New Zealand in the first semi-final of 2016 World T20 at New Delhi's Ferozshah Kotla Stadium on March 30. While England have been champions in 2010, New Zealand will be eyeing their first World T20 title. Following is a factbox of the two teams:
Images from the second One-Day International between India and New Zealand, at Raipur.
Mitchell Santner feels his team's inability to take wickets in the middle overs has proved costly
Suryakumar Yadav, who scored a 44-ball 76 in the third T20 International against the West Indies on Tuesday, moved within two rating points of top-ranked Pakistan captain Babar Azam.
Full list of players released, retained and traded by all ten teams in the IPL.
Born to Indian parents in Wellington, New Zealand's batting star Rachin Ravindra has his family roots in Bengaluru.
