New Zealand beat India by 50 runs to register a huge victory ahead of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. The momentum they gained from beating the home team in the fourth T20I between India and New Zealand must carry over into the much-anticipated match to become serious contenders for the title. Last night, the visiting team won after losing three games in a row.

Three defeats compared to just one win is something New Zealand Cricket never expected, perhaps before five T20I games series. But this is reality. The reality is not a very comfortable one for them, especially ahead of an event like the 2026 T20 World Cup, which starts on February 7 and is jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

The Black Caps must strive for another victory before the World Cup and this will be possible only if they can beat India again. India and New Zealand will face off in the final match of the tournament on January 31. From India’s perspective, this failure is also crucial as they can see which areas require further efforts. Three consecutive wins may have led to some fatigue in the team, which may have been the reason for India’s defeat in the fourth T20I against New Zealand on January 28.

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Another thing is that the Indian team should think not to rely entirely on Abhishek Sharma. In the last match, Sharma failed to perform at his due level and the Indian team failed to defeat their opponents.

IND vs NZ 4th T20I Preview:

Date and location:

The Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram will host the 5th T20I of the series between India and New Zealand on Saturday, January 31.

IND vs NZ teams:

India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vc), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Ardeep SinghKuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravi Bishnoi.

New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devin Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zach Fox, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Bevan Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Ish Sodhi, Christian Clark.

Possible lineups for IND and NZ:

In the 5th T20I match between IND and NZ, both sides may have the same goal – a win and an injury-free team. Because this will be the last T20I mission between the two teamthey only think about victory. A win before the ICC T20 World Cup will help the players maintain their confidence. After weeks of hard work, New Zealand has regained momentum; on the other hand, India, one of the hosts of this tournament, will try to win one more game to maintain their form.

Ishan Kishan’s omission from the last game was a surprise. The move makes sense as Ardeep Singh joins the mix of players who have been left out for the past three games. It will be interesting to see if the team management keeps the lineup unchanged for the remainder of the bilateral series.

The New Zealand team management has been showing confidence in a particular group of players since the start of the five-match T20I series. Despite losing three games in a row, they retained their first 11 games under the leadership of Mitchell Santner and got the long-awaited result – a victory – in the series ahead of the T20 World Cup. They can use all their cards to double their victory in the series.

Indian Team XI: Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah.

New Zealand starting XI: Devon Conway, Tim Seifert (wk), Lachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi and Jacob Duffy.

Key battles:

Abhishek Sharma vs Matt Henry:

As we said before, Matt Henry can do wonders for the New Zealand cricket team. The Pacer did exactly what the team expected of him – an early breakout. Abhishek Sharma had a rare bad day last night, while Henry did well. In the fifth match, the two cricketers will try to steal the limelight yet again.

Shivam Dube VS Ish Sodhi:

When the entire upper order tumbled, Shivam Dubey came out with all guns blazing. Dube’s batting at lower order showed the batting depth of the Indian cricket team. As long as he is in the middle, Indian cricket fans will want another win. He would also try to do the same but New Zealand spinner Ish Sodhi would be there to stop him. Sodhi has been doing well for New Zealand throughout the series.

Suryakumar Yadav vs Mitchell Santner:

Captain’s Battle – This would be the best ending to the entire series. Yadav, who had two consecutive wins against New Zealand in India, was dismissed cheaply in the fourth innings. Game five will be crucial for him to regain momentum. Santner, who was in poor form, finally found his mojo, winning the last game and taking 3 scalps.

IND vs NZ 5th T20I Key Players:

India – Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah.

New Zealand – Tim Seifert, Devin Conway, Mitchell Santner, Jacob Duffy and Glenn Phillips.

IND vs NZ 5th T20I – Free Live and Telecast Details:

Indian TV broadcast:

Star Sports Network will broadcast the fifth T20I match between India and New Zealand across India.

Live online streaming in India:

Fans can watch the match live on the JioHotstar app and website. Viewers require an active subscription to access the stream.

Competition date:

The fifth T20I match will be played on Saturday, January 31.

Place:

The fifth T20I match will be played at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

How to watch IND vs NZ match on TV:

The live broadcast of IND vs NZ 5th T20I will be telecast on Star Sports Network channel.

How to watch online on mobile and the web:

With a valid subscription, the live broadcast can be accessed through the JioHotstar app and official website.

IND vs NZ 5th T20I Weather Forecast- Trivandrum:

According to the weather forecast, the weather is expected to be fine in Trivandrum on the coming Saturday (January 31). There was no sign of rain or cloudy weather. During the game, starting at 7pm, the weather will remain the same – clear skies and no rain. The maximum temperature during the day can reach around 33 degrees Celsius, and the temperature at night can drop to 22 degrees Celsius.

IND and NZ pitch report at Greenfield International Stadium:

There is a good chance of a high-scoring match at this venue as it was at this venue that India scored a record 235 runs against Australia on November 26, 2023. The second highest scorer in this group is the Australian team with 191 points. In T20Is, the lowest score at this venue was 106 by South Africa.

IND vs. NZ head-to-head record:

IND vs NZ head to head record: key statistics

According to the overall statistics, the Indian Cricket Team has better numbers than the New Zealand Cricket Team. The two teams met in 29 games, with India winning 15 and New Zealand winning 11, of which 3 were draws.

India will play the fifth match after losing the fourth match of the series. In the last match, New Zealand won by 50 runs. Batting first, they managed 215/7 in 20 overs.

IND vs NZ head to head records – results of the last 5 matches:

IND vs NZ Match Prediction:

Ahead of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, both teams are trying their best to win the match. Despite having won three games in a row to clinch the series, India will remain on their toes to tie the series at 4-1. Another win before the game will provide the team with extra oxygen. In the fifth game, India had a better chance of winning.

IND vs. NZ – Conclusion:

It was on this pitch that some high-scoring games took place. If India bat first, they will try to score a huge total. New Zealand batsmen will try to do the same. The first inning of the game can determine the outcome of the game. Because there may be a proper factor in the second game. It will also help the team in the future if the bowlers can bring out the best in the possible batting pitches. India is way ahead of New Zealand on all prospects so far.

Read more: IND vs NZ Match Prediction: Who will win the 5th T20I? New Zealand India Tour 2026