When and Where to Watch New Zealand vs Australia, Live Streaming, Match Preview, Timings, and Pitch Report for 5th T20I

Does a team that once comfortably led a five-game series 2-0 need consolation? If they let the guards down to allow the opposition to come back and level things up, yes. Such is the vastness of this wildly volatile format of cricket. It is merciless, and one of the sheer examples of that has been the rude awakening for New Zealand after two clinical victories on the trot. The rewards of the game are fleeting. It makes not an inch of difference from what happened yesterday if the foot is taken off today.

More than anything else, it is the margin of losses – 64, followed by 50 runs – that will pinch the hosts, who have been let down by their batting display twice in as many occasions. They hit a solitary six in their entire innings in the previous game: one-fourth of what Aaron Finch managed only in the last over of the Australian innings. Then Australia was ruthless during defense, not letting any pair of New Zealand batsmen add more than 24 runs for any wicket.

One of the better yardsticks to measure the quality in the shortest format of the game is the strike rate. And the gulf between the two sides is more evidently highlighted when looked from that lens: the highest strike rate for any New Zealand top-order batsman was lower than the lowest strike rate of the entire Australian lineup in the previous game. Answers were nowhere to be seen for New Zealand against the spin trio of Ashton Agar, Adam Zampa, and Glenn Maxwell, who partnered to produce figures of 49/6 in 11 overs.

From the perspective of the series, there could not have been a better sequence of results: two to New Zealand on the trot, as many to the visitors in a span of 72 hours, and up comes the decider. Things escalating quickly is a typical trait of the T20 format, and as much as Australia’s effort is a neat illustration of not losing hope, New Zealand has been a case of how to not approach further in a series that is yours to lose.

How else does one explain the path of the series, which from Australia in a need of making a comeback has come down to New Zealand making one? But they will have to shrug off quickly and even more quickly will have to find a way to evade the embarrassment of losing a series that they led 2-0 not too long ago. For Australia, it is not a different ball game. They have anyway been playing must-win affairs for the last two matches. They have found a winning combination, and the comeback has not been anything short of dramatic. Can they do it once more?

Pitch and conditions

That the track will gradually shift towards the slower side, becoming more conducive for the spinners was a reasonable expectation, once it was decided to host back-to-back matches. However, there has not been another game after the last T20I, which might mean that it will play similar to the fourth game. There are chances of mild showers.

Playing combinations for NZ vs AUS

New Zealand

A 13-man squad has tied New Zealand to a similar eleven for the entire series. Despite the two losses, any change seems unlikely.

Predicted XI: Martin Guptill, Tim Seifert (WK), Kane Williamson (C), Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult

Australia

Australia certainly has some unused stock in their inventory as none amongst Ben McDermott, D’Arcy Short, Jason Behrendorff, Andrew Tye, and Tanveer Sangha have been used. Although, given that this unit has proven itself convincingly, the visitors are unlikely to tinker with the winning combination.

Predicted XI: Matthew Wade (WK), Aaron Finch (C), Josh Philippe, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Agar, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Riley Meredith, Adam Zampa

NZ vs AUS Head to Head 

Played – 13 | Australia – 9 | New Zealand – 3 | Tied – 1

NZ vs AUS Broadcast Details 

Match Timings 11:30 AM (IST)

Live Streaming– Fancode