Momentum up for grabs in this Thiruvananthapuram T20I

India remain favorites for the T20 World Cup despite a 50-run loss in Vizag. For this final international match before the World Cup, the hosts are expected to field a largely first-choice XI.

The Vizag match offered a silver lining. Kuldeep Yadav and Sanju Samson appeared to be rediscovering their rhythm. Abhishek Sharma, despite a first-ball duck, stuck to his aggressive template—an intent captain Suryakumar Yadav wants, though the dismissal was discussed.

"It is his plan," said batting coach Sitanshu Kotak. "But we definitely discuss the bowler's pace, their areas, and what the better option might be. He does think and speak with the coaches."

New Zealand's Matt Henry, who dismissed Abhishek, felt the steep learning curve in this series will benefit his team at the World Cup. "It's never nice being put under that kind of pressure, but the long-term picture was World Cup preparation. It was all positive gains, and a testament to the group's character that they stayed confident."

The return of Finn Allen bolsters New Zealand, with his pairing alongside in-form Tim Seifert key as they look to counter India with their own firepower.

Momentum is up for grabs in this final T20I as both teams look to iron out wrinkles before the World Cup.

When: Saturday, January 31, 7:00 PM local time
Where: Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram
What to expect: A full house and some dew for the chasing team. The center pitch has been prepared; it's a venue where surfaces have played better than they looked. The last time India played here, they scored 235.

India Team News:
Ishan Kishan, who missed the last match, will "most likely play." Axar Patel, after missing three matches, is in contention. Hardik Pandya could be rested.

• Probable XI: Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh

New Zealand Team News:
Finn Allen is likely to replace Devon Conway at the top. Clarity is still needed on Michael Bracewell's availability.

• Probable XI: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), Zakary Foulkes, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy

Key Notes:

• Sanju Samson is set to play at his home ground for India for the first time.
• Finn Allen was the leading run-scorer in the recently concluded BBL.
• Since the start of 2025, India's average opening partnership is 30.91, the sixth-best among Full Member nations.

Quotes:

• "Abhishek is someone who plays a lot of shots, but his shots don't seem like somebody's slogging. It seems like he is playing more on merit of the ball." – Sitanshu Kotak, India batting coach
• "T20 cricket is about confidence… how do you find a way to make it work. I think that's a highlight of this series for us." – Matt Henry, New Zealand pacer