The Black Caps also have the bonus of acclimatisation over an extended period, having lost a series 4-1 to India in January. Since 2013 and the infamous hotel room pow-wow after the Black Caps’ dismissal for 45 in a Cape Town test, this side has enjoyed a golden era. The way the New Zealanders play the game makes them standard-bearers for the international cricketing world, despite a relative lack of riches. Finn Allen and Tim Seifert added a record partnership to see the Black Caps beat the UAE at the T20 World Cup in India. Like a form of cricketing roulette, Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium block has three types of soil surfaces - red, black and mixed.

Source: New Zealand Herald March 07, 2026 08:07 UTC