Last Updated on 6 months ago by Charbel Coorey

It is the nature of the international cricket calendar that West Indies can be in Bangladesh one day and then in New Zealand a few days later. The Windies won the T20I series over in Bangladesh, but the polar opposite conditions will make this a tough initiation.

For New Zealand, inclement weather in Mount Maunganui, Christchurch and Mount Maunganui has disrupted their T20 World Cup preparations. They will be keen to get some momentum going after recent defeats to Australia and England. The bowlers in particular would have gained some confidence from thumping England 3-0 in the recemt ODI series.

Preparations for this match has been limited given the short turnaround for both teams. A good start in the powerplay is vital as the ground dimensions at Eden Park can make it very difficult for the bowling team to catch up.

NZ vs WI 1st T20 2025 Possible Playing XIs

Tim Seifert is out of this series with a broken finger, as confirmed by ESPNcricinfo. Devon Conway is likely to take his place at the top of the order. Kane Williamson has officially retired from T20Is.

New Zealand: 1. Devon Conway (wk), 2. Tim Robinson, 3. Rachin Ravindra, 4. Mark Chapman, 5. Daryl Mitchell, 6. Michael Bracewell, 7. James Neesham, 8. Mitchell Santner (c), 9. Kyle Jamieson, 10. Zak Foulkes, 11. Jacob Duffy

Gudakesh Motie is not in the squad, but West Indies have cover in terms of left-arm spin.

West Indies: 1. Alick Athanaze, 2. Amir Jangoo (wk), 3. Brandon King, 4. Roston Chase (c), 5. Ackeem Auguste, 6. Rovman Powell, 7. Romario Shepherd, 8. Jason Holder, 9. Akeal Hosein, 10. Jayden Seales, 11. Khary Pierre/Matthew Forde

Eden Park Auckland Pitch Report and Weather

The weather has not been too kind for T20Is in New Zealand in recent weeks. However, good conditions are forecast for this match with clear conditions and a top of 24 degrees.

In the last five completed T20Is at Eden park, the average first innings score is 183.6 at an overall run rate of 10.27. The team batting first has won three of these games.

In T20Is since the start of 2023, fast bowlers have taken 53 wickets on this ground at an average of 22.96 and economy of 9.45. Spinners average 30.44 at an economy of 10.27; a tough ground given the very small boundaries.

Fantasy Cricket Tips for NZ vs WI 1st T20 2025: Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Top wicket-keeper picks:

• Shai Hope is a top pick in this match, selected in 83.43% of Dream11 teams. He looked in fine touch in both the Bangladesh T20Is and ODIs. However, he will have to adjust to Auckland conditions as quickly as possible.
• Devon Conway will be looking to make a strong impression. He has 217 runs in six innings at Eden Park at an average of 43.40 and strike rate of 140.90.

Key batter picks:

• Rachin Ravindra bats in the top three and is coming off decent form in the England ODIs (46 and 54 in his last two innings). A genuine Dream11 captaincy option.
• Daryl Mitchell is also in fine touch with scores of 78*, 56* and 44 in the England ODIs. In five T20I innings at Eden Park, Mitchell has scored 156 runs at an average of 31.20 and strike rate of 173.33. This includes two fifties.

Top all-rounder picks:

• West Indies are likely to fetch a lot of their fantasy points through their all-rounders. Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder will provide overs (it is also possible they will bowl in the crunch overs given the makeup of their squad). Both can also hit a long ball down the order.
• Mitchell Santner has 10 wickets in nine T20I innings against West Indies (avg. 20.40, SR 15.60). He also strikes every 22.33 deliveries at Eden Park.

Key bowler picks:

• Jacob Duffy has taken five wickets in two T20I innings at Eden Park. Duffy was also in the wickets in the England series.
• Zak Foulkes can test the West Indies as they look to adjust to very different batting conditions. Like Duffy, Foulkes has been in the wickets recently.

Other Players to Consider for your Fantasy Cricket Teams

• Akeal Hosein is picked in 77.65% of Dream11 teams, but you can leave him out of your team if you wish to take a risk. Spinners haven’t had the best of times in recent years at Eden Park.
• Jayden Seales can test the Black Caps top order with his ability to swing the new ball. Also, expect Seales to bowl in the death overs, which can bring about wicket-taking opportunities.
• Tall quick Kyle Jamieson can extract bounce off the surface and test a Windies lineup that is coming off Bangladeshi conditions.
• Michael Bracewell and Roston Chase are two spinning all-rounders that can provide all-round value in fantasy. Picking one is probably ideal, depending on who bats first.
• Rovman Powell can provide the fireworks on a small ground. He is striking at 184.2 between overs 16 and 20 in all T20s this year.
• Tim Robinson hit a recent T20I century against Australia and will bat up the order. A worthwhile option to consider for fantasy cricket.

Other Stats and Facts

• Head-to-head in T20Is: Matches 20, New Zealand 11, West Indies 7, N/R 2.
• New Zealand lead West Indies 8-1 in home T20Is.
• James Neesham has seven wickets in five innings at Eden Park and has a good batting record against West Indies: 8 inns, 138 runs, avg. 34.50, SR 162.48.

NZ vs WI 1st T20 2025 Dream11 Prediction

Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article, as well as your own instincts, to create your teams. 

Option 1:

Option 2:

NZ vs WI 1st T20 2025 Match Prediction: Who will win?

New Zealand to win.

Disclaimer: The fantasy cricket stats, tips and predictions provided on CricBlog are intended for informational purposes for Dream11 free contests in line with the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025. The stats and writer’s views are in place to guide fans in creating their teams. While we strive to offer accurate and insightful advice, CricBlog does not guarantee success or winnings in any fantasy contests. Users are encouraged to make their own informed decisions and play responsibly.

All statistics and matchups in this article have been verified by ESPNcricinfo and Cricmetric.