New Zealand vs Australia T20I: Maxwell Out Ahead of Series

The stage is set at Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval as New Zealand, led by Michael Bracewell, take on Australia in a three-match T20I series starting Wednesday. Both sides are using the series as a final tune-up ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

Australia enter the contest in formidable form, having recently clinched consecutive T20I series wins over West Indies and South Africa. However, the team received a major setback on the eve of the series opener when Glenn Maxwell suffered a fractured arm during training, leaving a significant hole in the middle order.

New Zealand, on the other hand, have enjoyed a strong run in 2025, winning nine of their 11 T20Is. Yet, the Kiwis will miss several key players, including Mitchell Santner, William O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Finn Allen, Adam Milne, Lockie Ferguson, and the ever-reliable Kane Williamson.

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Australia’s squad also marks the first T20I series post-Mitchell Starc’s retirement, though the fast bowler’s absence is unlikely to affect the team much, given he hadn’t featured in T20Is since the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Squads:

New Zealand: Tim Seifert (w), Devon Conway, Tim Robinson, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Bevon Jacobs, Michael Bracewell (c), Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Zakary Foulkes, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears

Australia: Mitchell Marsh (c), Travis Head, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Alex Carey (w), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Ben Dwarshuis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe.

The first T20I kicks off at 11:45 AM IST, with the toss at 11:15 AM IST. Fans can catch the live action on the Sony Sports Network or stream it via the SonyLiv app and website.

As both sides look to fine-tune their squads and strategies, the series promises competitive cricket, intense rivalries, and a preview of what fans can expect in the T20 World Cup. With injury concerns and player absences affecting team lineups, selectors’ choices and on-field performances will be crucial in setting the tone for the rest of the series.