The Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 preparations will be at the forefront as New Zealand faces the West Indies in the opening T20I of a five-match series in Auckland. The Kiwis will be without key player Tim Seifert, who is sidelined after suffering a fracture to his right index finger while playing for Northern Districts against the Wellington Firebirds in the Ford Trophy. In his absence, Canterbury wicketkeeper-batter Mitch Hay has been called up to replace him.
New Zealand also sees the return of bowlers Kyle Jamieson and Ish Sodhi to the squad, although Kane Williamson will not participate following his retirement from T20 internationals. On the other side, the West Indies will aim to continue their momentum after recently securing a T20I series victory against Bangladesh.
The first T20I match between New Zealand and the West Indies is scheduled for Wednesday, November 5th, and will be held at Eden Park, Auckland, starting at 11:45 AM IST. Fans can catch the live action on Sony Sports, particularly on the Sony Sports 1 channel. Additionally, the match will be available for live streaming on Sony Liv and Fancode.
This series presents a valuable opportunity for both teams to fine-tune their squads ahead of the prestigious T20 World Cup, creating excitement among fans for the upcoming fixtures.