3 Player battles to watch out for in IND vs NZ 1st T2OI

India vs New Zealand ODI series has been comfortably won by India as they completely outclassed teh visitors winning the series 3-0. After conquering the 50-over format, India will look to do the same in the T20I. New Zealand however is quite capable of posing a tough challenge to the hosts, given they have some quality players in their squad.

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Let’s look at 3 player battles from Ind vs Nz 1st T20I that will be closely watched by all cricket fans.

Suryakumar Yadav vs Mitchell Santner

Suryakumar Yadav vs Mitchell Santner (Image source: Twitter)

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Michael Santner has troubled Virat Kohli a lot in the past which tells a great deal about his abilities. Although Kohli does not feature in India’s squad, the Men in Blue’s batting lineup will this time be led by mercurial Suryakumar Yadav. Having played at an insane strike rate of over 187, it is Yadav who would be the biggest challenge for Kiwis.

Santner who will be leading the visiting team would need to make sure he get Yadav out for cheap if he is

Umran Malik vs Glenn Philips

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Umran Malik vs Glenn Philips

The 150+ speedster Umran Malik comes back into the side for the T20I. Having troubled many batters in the past with his speed, Malik poses a huge threat for the Kiwi batters. Although a total of 9 wickets in 6 matches do not tell much about Malik’s talent, he is perfectly capable to deceive batters with his pace.

Glenn Philips however is one such player who does not pay heed to the quality of the bowler he’s facing and tries to play at an express strike rate of almost 150. The battle of these two speedsters would be a treat to cricket fans.

Davon Conway vs Kuldeep Yadav

Davon Conway vs Kuldeep Yadav

It is likely to be an exciting matchup between Conway and Yadav as both players are highly skilled and have had success at the international level. Conway has been in excellent form for New Zealand, scoring runs consistently in recent T20Is. In fact, he is the only batter to be included in the Men’s ODI team of the year as well as the Men’s T20I team of the year 2022.

Kuldeep Yadav is a talented and experienced spinner who has taken 44 wickets for India in the past. He could pose a great threat with his fight and variations to Conway.