India vs New Zealand 5th T20I Today in Hamilton: Time, Teams and Stakes
India take on New Zealand in the fifth and final T20I at Seddon Park, Hamilton today, Sunday, November 1, with the match starting at 12:30 PM IST (8:00 PM NZDT). India have already sealed the five-match series 3-1, but after their 87-run defeat in Auckland they will want to finish with a 4-1 scoreline, while the hosts aim for back-to-back wins in front of their home crowd.
Series so far: 3-1 to India
India won the first three matches of the series, chasing successfully in each of the early games, before New Zealand hit back in the fourth T20I at Eden Park, Auckland. In that match New Zealand posted a massive 259 for 7, built on Glenn Phillips’ 107 off 49 balls and Michael Bracewell’s 65 off 25, and then restricted India to 172 for 9 to win by 87 runs. It was New Zealand’s first home T20I win over India since 2019 and India’s second-biggest T20I defeat by runs.
Abhishek Sharma remains India’s top scorer in the series with 196 runs, including a remarkable 113 off 38 balls in the third T20I at Wellington, where India chased 199 in just 13.2 overs. For New Zealand, Glenn Phillips leads the series charts with 276 runs, while captain Mitchell Santner is the leading wicket-taker with 9 scalps. India’s Arshdeep Singh has taken 5 wickets so far.
What to expect in Hamilton
Seddon Park is another small venue, and the average first-innings total in T20Is there is around 180, so another high-scoring game is on the cards. The battle between the left-arm spinners could prove decisive, with Santner in productive form for the hosts. New Zealand are expected to largely stick with the side that won in Auckland, with Lockie Ferguson possibly returning after missing the last game, while Matt Henry remains out with a calf injury.
India, meanwhile, are pondering a few tactical changes after the Auckland loss. The most likely switch is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi coming in, with Sanju Samson making way, while Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy are also in contention for a chance. India’s spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule has said both Kuldeep and Chakaravarthy are ready to step in at any time. Captain Shreyas Iyer’s side will also want to carry momentum into the five-match ODI series that follows, which both teams view as important preparation ahead of next year’s ICC World Cup.
Predicted XIs and where to watch
New Zealand’s predicted XI includes Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Bevon Jacobs, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Nathan Smith, Adam Milne, Jacob Duffy and Matthew Fisher. India’s predicted XI includes Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Naman Dhir, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh and Mayank Yadav.
The match will be shown live on the Sony Sports Network in India, with live streaming on the Sony LIV app and website. The toss takes place at 12:00 PM IST.
India’s series story so far includes New Zealand’s 87-run win in the fourth T20I (https://niazitvnews.com/?p=2900) and Abhishek Sharma’s whirlwind century in the third T20I (https://niazitvnews.com/?p=2222). A win today would give India a 4-1 series triumph; a New Zealand victory would make it 3-2 and end the series on a high for the Black Caps.
Sources: IANS, CricTracker, Sporting News, Outlook India, Deccan Chronicle, October 31, 2026.