Last Updated on 4 years by Charbel Coorey

NZ vs WI 1st T20I Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | NZ vs WI 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | New Zealand vs West Indies 1st T20I Key Players | Eden Park Auckland Pitch Report

Remember New Zealand? After eight months without any international assignment, one of the most consistent teams finally get a taste of international cricket once again.

So much has happened across the world since New Zealand’s ODI at an empty SCG in March, which makes that match feel like a lifetime ago. They are back at Eden Park in Auckland – a ground that has played host to some of the most thrilling white-ball matches over the past few years. Even with Kane Williamson and Trent Boult rested for this series, New Zealand still possess plenty of talent, and will look to hit their straps right away.

They come up against an unpredictable West Indies team. The only team to win two T20 World Cups, the Windies have largely struggled in bilateral T20I assignments, and will be without big names such as Andre Russell, who helped the men in maroon win in Sri Lanka earlier this year. So, plenty will rest on CPL stars such as Andre Fletcher, Brandon King and Shimron Hetmyer to lead the way for the likes of Nicholas Pooran and Kieron Pollard to fire.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

• Martin Guptill has a poor record vs West Indies in T20Is (146 runs, avg. 18.25). However, he enjoys playing T20Is at Eden Park, with the most T20I runs by any player on this ground: 14 inns, 571 runs, avg. 43.92, SR 169.94.
• Ross Taylor has the second-most runs in NZ-WI T20Is (254, avg. 42.33), and needs just five runs to surpass Chris Gayle’s 258.
• Andre Fletcher has two 50+ scores in six T20I innings vs New Zealand. He averages 41 overall against the Black Caps (250 runs).
• Watch out for Shimron Hetmyer. The swushbuckling left-hander can cause plenty of damage if he gets going. He has made eight double-figure scores in his last 10 knocks, but only has two 30+ scores in this period. Needs to convert.
• Glenn Phillips scored the second-most runs in the recent CPL 2020 (316, avg. 35.11, SR 127). Expect much more batting-friendly conditions at Eden Park than the slow, turning tracks of Trinidad.
• Nicholas Pooran hit the third-most sixes in IPL 2020 (25), at an overall batting average of 35.30 and SR 169.71 (353 runs). If he gets going, the small Eden Park boundaries will be a piece of cake for him, so the Black Caps will be looking to limit his impact.
• Kieron Pollard strikes at 154 in six T20Is vs New Zealand (165 runs, avg. 33). The WI captain is coming off an excellent IPL 2020 campaign, where he struck at 191.42 on much bigger grounds than what he will encounter at Eden Park.
• Tim Southee has the most wickets in NZ-WI T20Is (15 in 11 matches), as well as the most T20I wickets at Eden Park (14 in 13 matches). Can the NZ skipper have a big impact in this match?
• Ish Sodhi (nine wickets in eight games) and Mitchell Santner (nine wickets in 10 games) have the next most T20I wickets at Eden Park among active players.
• Kesrick Williams is a proven wicket-taker in T20s, with 129 scalps in 99 matches. He took the third-most wickets in CPL 2020 (13 in 12 matches), and will be key in this match.
• Can Sheldon Cottrell bounce back after a disappointing IPL campaign?

Stats and Facts

• Head-to-head: 13 matches, New Zealand 7, West Indies 5, NR 1.
• New Zealand have won five of the last six matches between the teams.
• Three of the 13 T20Is between New Zealand and West Indies have ended in a tie. Two took place at Eden Park (2006 and 2008) and the other at Pallekele (2012).
• The chasing team has won the last four T20Is at Eden Park.
• Fabian Allen has a batting strike rate of 164.89 and bowling economy rate of 7.43 in T20s.
• Tim Seifert has scored just 102 runs in seven T20Is at Eden Park (avg. 17). Will this be his day?

Possible Playing 11

New Zealand: 1. Martin Guptill, 2. Tim Seifert (wk), 3. Glenn Phillips, 4. Devon Conway/Daryl Mitchell, 5. Ross Taylor, 6. James Neesham, 7. Mitchell Santner, 8. Tim Southee (c), 9. Hamish Bennett/Ish Sodhi, 10. Kyle Jamieson, 11. Lockie Ferguson

West Indies: 1. Andre Fletcher, 2. Brandon King, 3. Shimron Hetmyer, 4. Rovman Powell, 5. Nicholas Pooran (wk), 6. Kieron Pollard (c), 7. Fabian Allen, 8. Keemo Paul, 9. Kesrick Williams, 10. Sheldon Cottrell, 11. Hayden Walsh Jr.

Eden Park Auckland Pitch and Weather Report

A fine batting pitch often greets the players at Eden Park, to go with the small boundaries. This ground has seen some massive scores over the years, but the last five T20Is has seen an average first innings score of 163.6 at a run rate of 8.98, which suggests that bowlers have had some success in recent times.

The weather forecast is hot and sunny in Auckland during the day, which will make for a fine and cricket-filled evening (start time 7pm NZ time).

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

Option 2:

Match Prediction

New Zealand have lost their last four T20Is at this ground, which gives the Windies a good chance. But, death bowling could be a problem for the Windies, and is an area New Zealand can exploit to pick up victory.

Thanks for reading!