NZ v WI playing 11 and toss updates for today’s match – 27th November 2020

New Zealand are making a return to international cricket after eight and a half months as they host the West Indies in the first game of the 3-match T20I series on Friday (November 27) at Eden Park in Auckland.

The Kiwis last played an international match on March 13 this year against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground before the remaining two ODIs were cancelled owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Windies, on the other hand, were involved in the first series post lockdown as they lost the Test series 1-2 to hosts England in July.

The two sides will now face each other in three T20Is – the final two games in Mount Maunganui – before heading on to the 2-match Test series, which will be played from December 3-7 at Seddon Park in Hamilton and December 11-15 at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

As the T20I series begins, the visiting Test team is engaged in a 4-day practice match against New Zealand A in Queenstown after the first warm-up game ended in a draw on November 22.

New Zealand T20I squad: Martin Guptill, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert (w), Ross Taylor, James Neesham, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee (c), Ish Sodhi, Kyle Jamieson, Lockie Ferguson, Hamish Bennett, Devon Conway

West Indies T20I squad: Brandon King, Andre Fletcher, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran (w), Kieron Pollard (c), Rovman Powell, Fabian Allen, Keemo Paul, Sheldon Cottrell, Kesrick Williams, Oshane Thomas, Kyle Mayers, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson and fast bowler Trent Boult have been rested ahead of the Test series, while Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee and Ross Taylor will not feature in the final T20I for the same reason.

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NZ v WI 1st T20I: Who won the toss today?

New Zealand have won the toss in the 1st T20I and have opted to field first.

It seems like a good decision by Tim Southee, who stated that Eden Park is "historically a good chasing ground".

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What is the playing 11 for today’s NZ v WI match?

New Zealand’s playing XI: Martin Guptill, Tim Seifert (w), Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips, Ross Taylor, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee (c), Kyle Jamieson, Lockie Ferguson, Hamish Bennett

West Indies’ playing XI: Brandon King, Andre Fletcher, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran (w), Rovman Powell, Kieron Pollard (c), Fabian Allen, Keemo Paul, Sheldon Cottrell, Kesrick Williams, Oshane Thomas