After a sensationally comfortable victory over the Kiwis in the second T20I, hosts India will look to seal the series with a win in Guwahati.
Here, we present our preview and predictions for the third T20I of the 2026 New Zealand tour of India.
With Tilak Varma not yet back to full fitness, India have given Ishan Kishan some match time. Having Kishan at No. 3 gives the hosts an explosive and firepower-filled top order. Abhishek Sharma, who is in the form of his life, has been unstoppable, with his quick starts at the top allowing the remainder of the top order to keep the scoreboard ticking from the other end.
Suryakumar Yadav has found form at the right time, just before the World Cup, though India’s biggest positive with the bat will be Rinku Singh, who provides the team with an out-and-out finishing option lower down the order alongside the dangerous Hardik Pandya.
With the ball, India are at their strongest, with the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy returning ahead of the World Cup. Alongside Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh provides the hosts with a lethal seam attack, while the likes of Pandya and Shivam Dube give Suryakumar Yadav further pace options, with Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel being the main spinners.
New Zealand, like India, have seen a host of players return to the national setup for the T20Is after being rested for the ODIs.
The Kiwis have a lot of experience in the batting unit thanks to the likes of Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, and Mark Chapman, all of whom have played a lot of cricket in the Subcontinent. Ravindra in particular will be key for the visitors, not only in this T20I series but also the upcoming World Cup, with the Kiwi management hoping he finds form with both bat and ball.
In terms of their bowling, captain Mitchell Santner’s usage of Daryl Mitchell in the first game was heavily criticised. That said, if Santner considers Mitchell a viable option with the bowl, that gives him eight bowlers in total, offering ample flexibility.
The Guwahati ground has been a high-scoring venue, with the last T20I encounter here seeing two batters scoring centuries and a total of 448 runs put on show across the two innings.
We expect another run-fest in the third T20I, with India’s lengthy and explosive batting unit giving them the edge to take the win here and seal the series.
Fantasy XI: Abhishek Sharma (c), Devon Conway (wk), Sanju Samson, Daryl Mitchell (vc), Glenn Phillips, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Mitchell Santner, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Matt Henry
Venue: Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati
Winners Prediction: India
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