With the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup almost knocking on the door, the Indian cricket team will test every formula in their book to see their preparedness in the five-game series against New Zealand, starting Wednesday (January 21).
Eager to put the ODI series heartbreak behind them, the Suryakumar Yadav-led Men in Blue have a point to prove as the #1 T20I-ranked team in the world. They have lost just five of their 36 T20I assignments since the triumph at Bridgetown, and enter the INDvNZ series with an unbeaten home record in bilaterals since 2020.
The home side, boosted by the return of pace icon Jasprit Bumrah to the bowling mix and the inclusions of Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson and our very own Sarpanch Saab, will look to bat away every looming concern surrounding their T20I blueprint and ensure they carry a strong momentum into their title defence 11 days from now.
For New Zealand, the visitors will look to build on their 2-1 ODI series success with another surprise win against the T20WC 2026 hosts. Mitchell Santner and his Black Caps team carry a dangerous blend of experience and fresh talent that could trouble India both in the batting and bowling departments. Although they have won just once in their last five head-to-head meetings with India, the Kiwis will take inspiration from their previous success in Nagpur (back in 2016) to start the series on a positive note.
The stakes are high and the excitement levels are breaking the roof, so buckle up your seats for another highly-entertaining series in this latest India vs New Zealand chapter.
India vs New Zealand T20I 2026 schedule
All times are in India Standard Time (IST)
Date | Match | Venue | Time |
Wednesday, Jan. 21 | IND vs NZ 1st T20I | Vidarbha International Cricket Stadium, Nagpur | 07:00 PM |
Friday, Jan. 23 | IND vs NZ 2nd T20I | Nava Raipur International Cricket Stadium, Raipur | 07:00 PM |
Sunday, Jan. 25 | IND vs NZ 3rd T20I | Assam Cricket Association Stadium, Guwahati | 07:00 PM |
Wednesday, Jan. 28 | IND vs NZ 4th T20I | ACA–VDCA Stadium, Visakhapatnam | 07:00 PM |
Sunday, Jan. 31 | IND vs NZ 5th T20I | Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram | 07:00 PM |
IND vs NZ T20Is: Key players to watch out
India
Shreyas Iyer: Iyer, who last played a T20I in December 2023, could feature in the first three T20Is as a replacement for the injured Tilak Varma. The PBKS captain, who put behind his spleen injury to be available for the five-game series, will look to showcase the true Sher spirit by replicating his IPL 2025 form (604 runs at a strike rate of 175) against the Black Caps.
Upcoming milestones |
1: Shreyas Iyer is one six away from 250 sixes in India in T20s |
6: Shreyas Iyer is six sixes away from 50 sixes in T20Is |
108: Shreyas Iyer requires 108 runs to cross 5000 runs in international cricket |
New Zealand
Jacob Duffy: Duffy has been the leading bowler for New Zealand since T20WC 2024, with 42 wickets in 23 innings and could spell trouble for the Indian batting contingent. His ability to swing the new ball could tickle the patience of the likes of Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan/Sanju Samson at the top of the order.
Key stats |
1: Jacob Duffy topped the T20I bowling rankings in April 2025 |
35: Jacob Duffy registered 35 wickets in 21 T20Is in 2025 |
81: Jacob Duffy claimed 81 wickets in international cricket in 2025, a New Zealand record for a calendar year |
IND vs NZ T20Is Squads
India: Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Ishan Kishan, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh
New Zealand: Tim Robinson, Devon Conway (wicket-keeper), Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (captain), Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Bevon Jacobs, Kristian Clarke, Zakary Foulkes
Where to watch India vs New Zealand T20I series live
The India vs New Zealand T20I series will be telecast live on the Star Sports Network’s TV channels.
Live streaming of the IND vs NZ T20I series will be available on the JioHotstar app and website.
