Indian cricket team is all set to face New Zealand in the fourth T20I match at Eden Park in Auckland on October 30. The match, which is scheduled to begin at 12:30 PM IST, will see the two sides clashing in a dead rubber.
India have already sealed the series 3-0 with their dominant wins in the first three T20I games. However, the remaining two matches will be a chance for the hosts to restore some pride.
Nevertheless, ahead of the game, let's take a look at which players from either side can be the best options to challenge each other in the first and last overs of the game.
India’s best powerplay options
Arshdeep Singh
Criteria
Data
Innings
97
Wickets
64
Bowling Average
24.5
Strike Rate
18.1
Dot Percentage
51.40%
[Arshdeep Singh T20I powerplay stats]
Arshdeep Singh, the left-arm pacer for India and one of the prominent T20I pacers for the Men in Blue, can be a primary weapon in the powerplay overs with the ball.
He dismissed Finn Allen early in the powerplay during the third T20I match, and he can create similar opportunities given his success in the first six overs of a T20I game.
Sanju Samson
Criteria
Data
Innings
56
Runs
842
Average
24.8
Strike Rate
156.2
Dismissals
34
[Sanju Samson T20I powerplay stats]
Sanju Samson has good experience in T20I cricket, with his classic stroke play adding to his firepower. While Samson has been inconsistent with the bat in recent times, if he is allowed to open, unlike in the third T20I match, he can make a difference for India if he finds his rhythm after the first couple of overs.
He has a decent average and strike rate with the bat in T20 powerplays and can be a reliable option to give India a good start with the bat.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar's participation in the India vs New Zealand T20I series has itself been a milestone to celebrate. However, his performance hasn't been up to the mark. Across the three matches, he has picked up only one wicket.
Nevertheless, he has a solid track record as a T20I veteran in the powerplay, and if the pitch favours him, Bhuvneshwar can trouble batters early with his swing bowling.
Tilak Varma
Criteria
Data
Innings
28
Runs
462
Average
46.2
Strike Rate
204.4
Dismissals
10
[Tilak Varma T20I death overs stats]
Tilak Varma failed in the last match against New Zealand on October 27. However, his heroics in the second T20I, with his 26-ball 51, make him a solid prospect to score with the bat in the closing phase of the game.
Tilak Varma is a promising talent and currently has a strike rate of 152 in the New Zealand series across the three matches he has played. He has the calmness and composure to come in late in the lower-middle order, accelerate the scoring, and handle high-pressure situations during the death overs.
New Zealand’s best powerplay options
Tim Seifert
Criteria
Data
Innings
72
Runs
1,326
Average
36.8
Strike Rate
145.6
Dismissals
36
[Tim Seifert T20I powerplay stats]
Tim Seifert, an explosive batter for the team, is an asset thanks to his T20I prowess. So far, he hasn't been up to the mark in the India series.
However, in the recently concluded Caribbean Premier League 2026, Seifert averaged 44.50 and had a strike rate of 144.72 across the five matches he played. With his strong powerplay stats, Seifert can make a mark in the upcoming clash.
Jacob Duffy
Criteria
Data
Innings
47
Wickets
32
Bowling Average
23.6
Strike Rate
17.8
Dot Percentage
52.30%
[Jacob Duffy T20I powerplay stats]
The 32-year-old Jacob Duffy has slowly become one of the vital cogs in New Zealand's pace attack in the T20I format.
He has a strong wicket-taking ability in the powerplay overs and also has a decent dot-ball percentage that can trouble India's opening batters early in the game.
So far, he has picked up only one wicket in the series but will be eager to take more wickets in the remaining two games.
New Zealand’s best death overs options
Adam Milne
Criteria
Data
Innings
41
Wickets
21
Bowling Average
20.1
Strike Rate
12.2
Dot Percentage
32.70%
[Adam Milne T20I death overs stats]
Adam Milne is a talented prospect in the death overs. Throughout his cricketing career, he has been expensive during this phase but has also proved to be a strike bowler with an impressive average.
Hence, it is only natural that New Zealand could look towards him to tackle high-pressure situations during a chase or when India's run rate needs to be stifled.
Bevon Jacobs
Criteria
Data
Innings
6
Runs
73
Average
18.2
Strike Rate
173.8
Dismissals
4
[Bevon Jacobs T20I death overs stats]
Primarily a top-order batter, Bevon Jacobs has impressed in this series with a strike rate of 150. He averages 64 across the three matches he has played and also has a decent knack for performing in the death overs in the T20I format.
With his consistency looking good on paper, Bevon Jacobs is a promising prospect for New Zealand to carry on the work that the top or middle order might have failed to execute earlier in the game.
![Arshdeep Singh and Bevon Jacobs [Source: AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1793271892446_ArshdeepSinghandBevonJacobs.jpg?type=hq)
Arshdeep Singh and Bevon Jacobs [Source: AFP]
