New Zealand vs England Prediction, 1st T20I – Who will win today’s match between NZ vs ENG?

Published - 17 Oct 2025, 18:35 IST | Updated - 17 Oct 2025, 19:05 IST

New Zealand square off against England in the first T20I in the three-match series on Saturday, October 18. This mouth-watering clash will be played at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

The Kiwis won a T20I tri-series involving hosts Zimbabwe and a second-string South African team in July. However, they had a tough outing in a three-match T20I series at home against Australia earlier this month. The Blackcaps lost two matches in the series, while one was washed out. Mitchell Santner, who missed the series against the Aussies, will look to lead his team from the front against a strong England side.

The Three Lions, on the other hand, drew a three-match T20I series at home against South Africa last month. During the second T20I, they amassed a mind-boggling score of 304/2, going on to win the match by 146 runs. The series ended in a stalemate at 1-1, as the deciding third T20I was abandoned due to rain. England subsequently played Ireland in a three-match T20I series in Dublin. While the second match was washed out, England won the first and third T20Is rather convincingly.

The pacers will look to take advantage of the new ball as there could be some swing on offer. The pitch is also expected to offer some bounce. Defending scores can be difficult on a venue like the Hagley Oval, where the boundaries are on the shorter side. The captain who wins the toss could look to bowl first.

Tim Robinson, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert (WK), Bevon Jacobs, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (C), James Neesham, Jacob Duffy, Kyle Jamieson.

Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (WK), Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (C), Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Jordan Cox, Brydon Carse, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood.

Phil Salt was England's highest run-scorer in the series against South Africa as well as the one against Ireland. The flamboyant opener will be looking to provide his team with some fiery starts during the series. However, he will have to be wary of the new ball.

Jacob Duffy has shown that he has an incredible knack for picking up wickets. His spell inside the powerplay will be crucial. If there is some bounce on offer from the track, Duffy as well as Kyle Jamieson could exploit it to their advantage.

Disclaimer: The prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned and make your own decision.