IND vs NZ, 5th T20I: Head-to-head, pitch report & predicted playing XIs

India and New Zealand will lock horns for the last time in the series as they clash in the 5th T20I on Saturday, January 31, at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. India has already won the series with a 3-1 lead, but both teams will be eager to end the series on a positive note.

India began the series with a strong note as they won matches in Nagpur, Raipur, and Guwahati with their impressive all-round display. But their winning streak came to a halt in the fourth T20I at Visakhapatnam as they suffered a massive defeat. Suryakumar Yadav will be leading the home side as they look to bounce back and seal the series 4-1 before turning their attention to the T20 World Cup 2026.

New Zealand finally found their rhythm in the previous match, showing better teamwork with both bat and ball. That win will give them confidence, and they will aim to carry the same energy into the final game. A victory here would help the Mitchell Santner-led side take some positives from the tour before heading into the global tournament.

IND vs NZ: Pitch Report

The pitch at Greenfield Stadium usually offers a good balance between bat and ball. Batting gets harder as the game progresses with the surface becoming slower. Teams favor putting up a big first-innings total, as it is difficult to chase under lights. 

IND vs NZ: Head-to-Head in T20Is

• Matches Played: 29
  
• India Won: 15
  
• New Zealand Won: 11
  
• Tied / No Result: 3

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IND vs NZ: Predicted Playing XIs

India (IND):

Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh,  Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy

New Zealand (NZ):

Mitchell Santner (c), Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi