The Kiwis are scheduled to play England in two Tests in the first and second week of next month, following which they will face India in the ICC World Test Championship final from June 18-22.
Each year, Samson has played a few match-defining knocks but this time he would have to go the extra mile if the Royals want to win that elusive second title.
A look at how India have fared in their World Cup opening games.
Skipper Williamson cleared to play; spinner Patel included in 15-man squad
SunRisers Hyderabad has the biggest purse while Kolkata Knight Riders has the slimmest purse.
New Zealand, who abandoned their white-ball tour of Pakistan last year due to security concerns, are looking to end a run of four straight test defeats with Southee as the new captain following the six-year tenure of Kane Williamson.
Babar Azam scored his 18th century as Pakistan trounced New Zealand by 102 runs in the fourth One-Day International at the National stadium in Karachi on Friday. His 107 off 117 balls fired Pakistan to 334 for 6. In reply, New Zealand were shot out for 232 all out, their lowest total of the series.
It was a stunning turnaround for an Australia team which had lost five T20 series on the trot heading into the World Cup.
Having conceded 25 runs in the first three overs, SRH were back in the game and it got better for them with the introduction of T Natarajan (2/30) into the attack as the left-arm pacer bowled Ruturaj Gaikwad (16).
The win over Ireland saw New Zealand grab the top spot with seven points and a net runrate of +2.113.
With 10 points, KKR, however, are on the brink of elimination.
Images from the T20 World Cup match between Afghanistan and New Zealand, in Abu Dhabi, on Sunday.
Glenn Phillips raced around the outfield to take an excellent diving catch at extra cover to trigger an Australian collapse.
Sachin Tendulkar leads the cricket world to hail New Zealand's triumph.
Gujarat Titans' captain Hardik Pandya became the fastest Indian to smash 100 sixes in the Indian Premier League.
'New bunch, new guys with a lot of excitement and energy'
The WTC final presents the Black Caps with another opportunity to become world champions and if all falls into place, nothing can stop them go for glory.
Shreyas Iyer said they put great effort in the game but it was a bad day as a 'bowling unit.'
Andre Russell's all-round brilliance kept Kolkata Knight Riders in contention for a play-off berth as they recorded a comprehensive 54- run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in a must-win IPL game.
Game 28 in IPL 2021 will see the Rajasthan Royals take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad at Delhi.
Sri Lanka bid to sweep New Zealand and reach WTC final
Abhishek Sharma hit a career-best 75 to steer Sunrisers Hyderabad to a comfortable eight wicket victory against the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2022 match at the D Y Patil stadium in Navi Mumbai on Saturday.
An extra-time strike from forward Chloe Kelly gave England a 2-1 win over Germany in the women's European Championship final on Sunday to claim their first ever major title in front of a record crowd on home soil.
The opening Test, also played in Karachi, ended in a draw as well.
A desperate Indian team will pray for a rain-free third and final ODI against New Zealand on Wednesday in its bid to finish on an even keel in a series that neither had context nor any major takeaways.
Images from the Indian Premier League match between Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, in Dubai, on Monday.
Put in to bat, India's rejigged top order wilted in no time and the 2007 champions crawled to 110-7 in 20 overs in the Super 12 match. The below-par total was unlikely to test New Zealand's batting might and so it proved.
New Zealand completed an innings and 58-run victory over Sri Lanka in the second test in blustery Wellington on Monday to sweep the series 2-0.
While Kohli has slipped to 10th on the ICC rankings, the Indian great continues to hold a remarkable Test batting record. He has scored 27 Test centuries and 28 half-centuries and currently has a Test batting average of just under 50.
It has been a rollercoaster ride for SRH who won five games in a row before losing the next five.
Pace spearhead Trent Boult has been omitted from the white-ball squad a few months after being released from his national contract.
Sunrisers Hyderabad's batting will have to guard against the wily leg-spinner Chahal,
India will aim to shed their archaic playing style for good with a 'young and fearless' bunch in the three-match T20I series against New Zealand, starting in Wellington on Friday.
The IPL is likely to start in the second week of April and its knockout matches may stretch till early June, potentially clashing with New Zealand's first Test in England
New Zealand were in trouble at 37 for 3 at stumps in reply to England's declared first innings total of 325 for 9 at Bay Oval, with seven wickets tumbling in a frantic evening session.
Left-arm spinner Axar Patel picked up five wickets to help India grab a handy 49-run first-innings lead on Day 3 of the first Test against New Zealand on Saturday.
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
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer believes Tom Latham will be the key batter for New Zealand in the ongoing first Test match in Kanpur on Thursday.
India will expect a better approach from skipper Shikhar Dhawan and young Shubman Gill in the Powerplay overs when the team clashes with New Zealand in a do-or-die second One-Day International, in Hamilton, on Sunday.
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