The Trans-Tasman rivalry kicked off at Bay Oval on Wednesday with New Zealand winning the toss and electing to bat first against Australia in the opening T20 International.
The build-up to the contest, however, was overshadowed by the unfortunate injury to Rachin Ravindra. The all-rounder was ruled out of the entire series after colliding with an advertising board during training.
Though Ravindra cleared a concussion test, he sustained a serious cut to his upper lip and nose, requiring detailed stitching. His absence paved the way for Tim Robinson to be drafted into the squad, and he features in the XI today.
Both sides enter the series with strong recent records in the shortest format. Australia arrived in New Zealand after sweeping the West Indies 5-0 and edging South Africa 2-1 in their last two series. The Black Caps, on the other hand, are brimming with confidence, having beaten Pakistan 4-1 before clinching a tri-series against Zimbabwe and South Africa, The Indian Express reported.
The Bay Oval contest also marks an important step in preparations for next year’s T20 World Cup, with both teams looking to fine-tune their combinations.
New Zealand Playing XI: Tim Seifert (wk), Devon Conway, Tim Robinson, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Bevon Jacobs, Michael Bracewell (capt), Zak Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy.
Australia Playing XI: Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (capt), Matt Short, Tim David, Alex Carey (wk), Marcus Stoinis, Mitch Owen, Ben Dwarshuis, Xavier Bartlett, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
The opening T20I is being broadcast live in India on the SonyLIV app and website.
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