Last Updated on 4 days ago by Charbel Coorey

New Zealand registered their first win of this series, and more importantly generated some momentum ahead of the T20 World Cup.

A batting display set up by Tim Seifert and finished by Daryl Mitchell ensured the Black Caps struck their second 200+ score in this series. This time, it was enough as the bowlers restricted India to 165 courtesy of early wickets including the prized scalp of Abhishek Sharma first ball.

Can New Zealand follow up the win with another in Thiruvananthapuram? They are set to welcome back some experience as India seek to bounce back after a disappointing display in the third T20 where Shivam Dube’s 23-ball 65 was the shining light.

India’s powerplay bowling will be under the spotlight once again with Finn Allen and Tim Seifert expected to open. Also, India conceded 52 in the final four overs in the last match, so that is an area for improvement as well especially as they operate pretty well in the middle overs.

IND vs NZ 5th T20 2026 Possible Playing XIs

India experimented with their XI in the fourth T20I but may choose an XI closer to what they’ll field in the T20 World Cup. Ishan Kishan missed the third match with a niggle and could return. Axar Patel is also a chance of featuring.

“Arshdeep comes in for Ishan Kishan, who picked up a niggle in the last game. Axar Patel still needs a bit more time, so hopefully we’ll see him in the next game,” said Suryakumar Yadav at the toss a few nights ago.

India: 1. Abhishek Sharma, 2. Sanju Samson (wk), 3. Ishan Kishan, 4. Suryakumar Yadav (c), 5. Hardik Pandya, 6. Shivam Dube, 7. Rinku Singh/Axar Patel, 8. Harshit Rana/Varun Chakravarthy, 9. Arshdeep Singh, 10. Jasprit Bumrah, 11. Kuldeep Yadav

Finn Allen is set to return in this match. He could come in for Rachin Ravindra who is struggling. Also, Lockie Ferguson and James Neesham could feature in today’s game.

New Zealand: 1. Finn Allen, 2. Tim Seifert (wk), 3. Rachin Ravindra/Devon Conway, 4. Glenn Phillips, 5. Mark Chapman, 6. Daryl Mitchell, 7. Mitchell Santner (c), 8. Zak Foulkes/James Neesham, 9. Matt Henry, 10. Ish Sodhi, 11. Jacob Duffy/Lockie Ferguson

Greenfield International Stadium Thiruvananthapuram Pitch Report and Weather

Thiruvananthapuram has hosted four T20Is to date. The average first innings score is 144.5 at a run rate of 8.50. Teams batting first and second have won two games each.

In these T20Is, pace bowlers have taken 28 wickets at an average of 24.39 and economy of 8.84. Spinners have picked up 13 wickets at 31.85/7.75.

A clear evening is forecast with temperatures around 24 degrees. Dew is possible, so chasing may be preferred once again.

Fantasy Cricket Tips for IND vs NZ 5th T20 2026: Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Top wicketkeeper picks:

• Finn Allen is in outstanding form. He recently smashed the most runs in the BBL (466) at a strike rate of 184.18 with 38 sixes.
• Tim Seifert took on India’s attack in the 4th T20I and won. His 36-ball 62 was key in New Zealand’s victory. Overall, Seifert has 420 runs against India at an average of 35.00 and strike rate of 148.40.
• Ishan Kishan was in magnificent form before missing the last match with a niggle. He hit 112 runs in the opening three T20Is of this series at a strike rate of 224.

Key batter picks:

• Abhishek Sharma had a rare failure in the 4th T20I. His 152 runs in this series come at a strike rate of 266.66. Abhishek is striking at 191.2 in the powerplay in all T20s since the start of 2025.
• Suryakumar Yadav will also be seeking to bounce back. The Indian skipper has the second-most runs in IND-NZ T20Is (463) at an average of 57.87 and strike rate of 166.54.

Top allrounder picks:

• Mitchell Santner produced his best performance with the ball in the last match (3/26). The skipper has also been excellent with the bat (105 runs, SR 166.66), resulting in 350 Dream11 points so far in the series.
• Hardik Pandya didn’t bowl in the last match with India opting to stick with five specialist bowlers. Keep an eye on the make up of India’s XI for this match which will indicate whether Hardik will bowl, making him a strong fantasy pick.
• Glenn Phillips is the second-highest run-scorer this series (169). The all-rounder is striking at 155.04 with a fifty.

Top bowler picks:

• Expect Varun Chakravarthy to return with the T20 World Cup fast approaching. He was India’s premier bowler in T20Is in 2025 (36 wickets) and he also took three wickets in the first two matches of this series.
• Jasprit Bumrah bowls in the crunch overs and is often economical against New Zealand, despite his expensive final over in the 4th T20I. He has 16 wickets against the Black Caps at an average of 19.75 and economy of 6.44.

Other Players to Consider for your Fantasy Cricket Teams

• Shivam Dube produced a magnificent performance in the last match (65 off 23 balls). He is capable of six-hitting – especially against spin – making him a good differential pick in fantasy cricket. He has ammassed 343 Dream11 points so far in this series.
• The spotlight is on Sanju Samson in what has been a difficult series. He has the potential to produce on his day which makes him one to consider for fantasy cricket.
• Daryl Mitchell is more dangerous batting up the order, but he can still contribute lower down as he showed in the 4th T20I (39* off 18 balls).
• Jacob Duffy is the leading wicket-taker this series with five scalps. Ish Sodhi also has five wickets and the most wickets overall in IND-NZ T20Is (30, SR 16.20).

Other Stats and Important Matchups

• Arshdeep Singh vs New Zealand: 8 inns, 12 wickets, avg. 21.41, SR 14.
• Arshdeep Singh vs Tim Seifert in T20Is: 14 balls, 36 runs, one wicket.
• Matt Henry vs Abhishek Sharma in T20Is: Four balls, nine runs, one wicket.
• Lockie Ferguson vs Suryakumar Yadav in all T20s: 39 balls, 87 runs, no wickets.
• Mitchell Santner vs Suryakumar Yadav in all T20s: 73 balls, 79 runs, four wickets.
• Hardik Pandya vs Tim Seifert in all T20s: 24 balls, 44 runs, one wicket.

IND vs NZ 5th T20 2026 Dream11 Prediction Today

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:

IND vs NZ 5th T20 2026 Match Prediction – Who will win?

Expect New Zealand to give another good fight. However, I believe India will prevail and take the series 4-1.

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.