Cricket fans in India can mark their calendars as New Zealand prepares to host the West Indies for a crucial five-match T20 International series. This upcoming series, commencing in Auckland, serves as a vital warm-up for both teams ahead of the T20 World Cup. While the Black Caps are contending with several injuries to key players, this T20I leg offers a significant opportunity for fringe players to impress and secure a place in the World Cup squad. The West Indies, fresh off a dominant away T20 series whitewash in Bangladesh, will be carrying substantial momentum into this encounter. Conversely, New Zealand faces challenges with a growing injury list, including notable absences like Finn Allen, Glenn Phillips, Will O’Rourke, and Lockie Ferguson. Tim Seifert has also been ruled out after sustaining an injury in domestic cricket. Despite recent rain-affected T20 matches against Australia and England, the Black Caps will draw confidence from their ODI series victory over England. However, their T20 form hasn’t been consistently strong, and they will need to be at their absolute best to compete against a formidable West Indies side. The series begins on Wednesday, November 5th, at Eden Park in Auckland, with the first ball bowled at 11:45 AM IST. Subsequent matches are scheduled for November 6th, 9th, 10th, and 13th. Auckland will host the opening two games, followed by matches in Nelson, with the series concluding in Dunedin. Cricket enthusiasts in India can catch all the action live on Sony Sports 1 and Sony Sports 1 HD on television. For streaming, fans can tune into SonyLiv and Prime Video.
