India vs New Zealand 1st T20I Predictions - Varma to get India off to winning start in T20 series against Kiwis

Simon Lewis

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Last updated: 20 Jan 2026

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Simon Lewis 20 Jan 2026

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Tilak Varma has scored 62, 26*, 73, 109 and 34 in his last five innings.
Daryl Mitchell hit 18 boundaries in his 131-ball 137 against India.
Can India bounce back from their ODI series defeat by taking the T20I series?

Tilak Varma (Getty Images).

India vs New Zealand Predictions

India will be seeking revenge after losing to New Zealand at home in the recently completed ODI series. New Zealand played some powerful cricket but are relying on three or four players to perform at the moment, while India’s squad is well balanced and performing well. I am backing India to bounce back with a win in the 1st T20I of their five-match series.

India vs New Zealand Predictions
Head-to-Head
India Form
New Zealand Form
India vs New Zealand Team News & Squads

India’s Tilak Varma averages 49.29 in T20Is at a strike-rate of 144.09.
India’s Hardik Pandya has scored 63, 133 and 75 in his last 3 innings.
New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell has scored 84, 131* & 137 in his last 3 innings.
New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips scored 106 off 88 balls in the 3rd ODI against India.

Head-to-Head

India have won three, tied one and lost one of their last five T20Is against New Zealand.

India Form

India claimed their T20 series 3–1 against South Africa when they beat their visitors by 30 runs in the 5th T20I.

Tilka Varma’s superb form with the bat has continued and he looks every bit their match-winner. Abhishek Sharma has scored 35, 34, 48 and 30 in his last five innings. Hardik Pandya hit five sixes in his match-winning 63 off 25 balls in the 5th T20I.

Harshit Rana took 2/65, 1/52 and 3/84 in the ODI series against New Zealand. He also chipped in with scores of 29 and 52. Arshdeep Singh came back into the side for the final ODI against New Zealand on the back of taking 5/34 and 2/26 for Punjab. He picked up two top six wickets in returning figures of 3/63.

New Zealand Form

New Zealand have won their last three completed T20Is in a row in beating the West Indies 3-1 back in November.

Daryll Mitchell has been in Bradmanesque form over the past year and will be key to his side’s chances in the series and the upcoming World Cup. Glenn Phillips has scored 90*, 32* and 106 in his last four innings. Devon Conway struggled for runs in the SA20, scoring above 24 just three times in seven innings.

Jacob Duffy took 4/35 in the deciding T20 against the West Indies along with figures of 3/36 and 2/27 in the series. Kyle Jamieson has taken three wickets in an innings in three of his last six whiteball matches.

India vs New Zealand Team News & Squads

New Zealand have been boosted by the arrival of some of their first-choice white-ball players back from franchise duty, while India will be without their star of the recent ODI series, Virat Kohli.

India squad: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (w), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Rinku Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana.

New Zealand squad: Mitchell Santner (c), Devon Conway (w), Bevon Jacobs, Glenn Phillips, Tim Robinson, Jimmy Neesham, Ish Sodi, Zak Foulkes, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Rachin Ravindra, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Kristian Clarke.

Verdict

India v New Zealand 1st T20

I am backing India to win. I am also backing Tilak Varma to top score for India.

Daryl Mitchell is a good bet to top score for New Zealand.

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