Thiruvananthapuram gears up to host the final T20I between India and New Zealand at Greenfield International Stadium on Saturday, January 31, 2026. With India leading the series 3-1, both teams will be looking to end the series on a high note.
India, having already clinched the series, will aim to finish strongly and potentially test different team combinations ahead of the T20 World Cup. New Zealand, on the other hand, will be seeking to reduce the margin of defeat and regain some confidence after a challenging tour.
In the previous match at Visakhapatnam, New Zealand showcased their best performance of the series, posting a formidable 215 for 7 after being put in to bat. Tim Seifert led the charge with a fluent 62, supported by Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell who provided crucial acceleration towards the end of the innings. India's chase faltered early despite a counter-attacking innings from Shivam Dube and some resistance from Rinku Singh. Mitchell Santner's three-wicket haul and disciplined bowling from Jacob Duffy and Ish Sodhi secured a convincing 50-run victory for New Zealand.
For India, a significant point of focus will be the performance of Sanju Samson, who has been given the responsibility of opening the batting in this series and potentially at the World Cup. However, Samson has struggled to make a significant impact, scoring just 40 runs in four innings. This has led to calls for him to be replaced by Ishan Kishan, who has impressed in his opportunities. With the T20 World Cup approaching, India will be keen to see if Samson can deliver under pressure, or if Kishan will make a strong case for inclusion in the starting XI. It is expected that Ishan Kishan will return to the side for this match.
The pitch at Greenfield International Stadium has offered mixed results in previous T20Is. India has won the last two matches at this venue, once against Australia where they defended a large total, and another against South Africa where they bowled the opposition out cheaply. The surface on the eve of the match was without grass and is expected to be good for batting. Dew is expected in the late evening, which could mean that the team batting first might need to score extra runs as a buffer.
Both teams will be aiming to fine-tune their squads and strategies as they approach the T20 World Cup. India will want to address the issues that were highlighted in the previous match, particularly the top-order batting and the expensive bowling. New Zealand will look to build on their performance from the fourth T20I and carry that momentum into the final game.
The match is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM IST and will be broadcast on Star Sports, with live streaming available on JioHotstar.
