New Zealand vs India Match Prediction: 3rd T20I Odds & Tips

India have claimed back-to-back wins to go ahead 2-0 in this best-of-five series. That means one more win in this game gives them the series win. Game 2 was a close one, with India chasing down the 180 target with just one ball to spare.

The Black Caps will need a win in Game 3 if they want to keep their hopes of a series win alive. Both Game 1 and 2 ended up being pretty close, especially the game last time out, which saw India chase down the total with just one ball to spare. We head to Wellington for Game 3, and the experts at BettingTop10 go through everything you should know for the all-important middle game.

Odds thanks to Betista (accurate at time of publication).

New Zealand

New Zealand need to pull their socks up and claim a win in Game 3 if they want a chance to keep the series alive. In both Game 1 and 2, they put a decent total on the board, but India’s batters proved too good and chased down the runs in close affairs.

Glenn Phillips was the standout batter for the Black Caps once again, and he has notched up 152 runs across the first two games of this series. On the bowling side of things, captain Mitchell Santner snagged four wickets in Game 2, bringing his series total to six.

Once again, it looks like the bowling needs to be worked on for the home side. Even though they have come close in both games, it seems like their bowlers can’t handle the pressure. Losing Matt Henry puts a damper on things, but they do get Kyle Jamieson back.

India

India are two-from-two in this series and are honing in on a series win in this game. Things got a little bit nip and tuck in the closing stages of Game 2, but their batting power held steady to help the visitors get across the line. 

Tilak Varma was the Man of the Match, scoring an unbeaten 51 runs off just 26 balls, which included six fours. India seemingly have match winners throughout their lineup, so if one doesn’t fire with the bat/ ball, there are plenty of others that are capable of stepping up.

India will likely stick with their aggressive approach; it’s worked for them well so far. However, coming to Wellington, they need to be wary of the Black Cap’s spin attack. The bowlers will also look to get on top of the likes of Glenn Phillips early to deny their opponents the chance to build a big score.

India now hold a 5-0 record over New Zealand in the last five T20I matches, which dates back to January this year. Before this series, New Zealand played Bangladesh. Looking at their last five T20Is, they have a record of 1-3-1; meanwhile, India have won three of their last five (with one no result), with their only loss in this timeframe coming at the hands of the West Indies.

The most vital trends that you should be aware of leading into this match: 

• Teams batting first at Hnry Stadium in Wellington have won seven of the last 10 completed T20s.
• The shorter square boundaries are likely to influence where batters target their shots, especially considering the straight boundaries are longer.
• Glenn Phillips has scored 82 and 70 in the first two matches, for a total of 152 runs.

The first game was decided with just two balls to spare, and if you didn’t think things could get any closer, the second game was decided with just one! So, while the visitors have a 2-0 hold on the series, things could have easily been a different story.

The Black Caps come into this game as the underdogs, but I do see value with them currently going around at the $2.12 mark. So, for my cricket betting tip, I’ll be backing them to notch up their first win of the series. Kyle Jamieson is back, Glenn Phillips is firing, and they are so close to a win.

Take New Zealand to win @ $2.12.

There’s a lot on the line for this game, and the home side currently finds itself in a 0-2 hole. If they want to have any chance of saving this T20I series, they’ll need to pull out a win. I think a change in venue is exactly what the Black Caps need, and after two nail-biting losses, they’ll be able to pull it all together for a win to keep the series alive. If you’re having a bet on Game 3, don’t forget to see if there are any free bets before finalising your selections!