Live updates of the fourth Twenty20 between the Black Caps and India.<\/p>\n
Even after surrendering their five-match Twenty20 series against India with two games still to play, the Black Caps are refusing to hit the panic button for next month\u2019s World Cup.<\/p>\n
With defeats in Nagpur and Raipur already under their belts, a chastening eight-wicket loss in Guwahati sees the Black Caps trail 3-0 in their final preparations for the World Cup and in danger of being whitewashed by their hosts with two games still to play.<\/p>\n
In all three games, so far, India\u2019s batting has proven to be the difference, with their line-up of specialists manufactured by the Indian Premier League showing an incredible ability to find the boundary at will.<\/p>\n
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.<\/a><\/p>\n Guwahati proved just that<\/a>, as India scored at more than 15 runs per over to cruise to their target of 154 with eight wickets and 60 balls to spare. <\/p>\n But two things can be true at the same time. While the Black Caps can, and will, be disappointed at being soundly beaten, New Zealand\u2019s preparation for this year\u2019s World Cup will be better than most<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Black Caps will not face a tougher opponent than India, in the group stage at the very least, during their World Cup campaign. What\u2019s more, by the time the series ends, New Zealand\u2019s 15-man squad will have had vital time training and playing in Indian conditions \u2013 even if the scoreline turns out to be 5-0 in the hosts\u2019 favour. <\/p>\n But while India are at full-strength, the Black Caps are yet to play their best line-up across the series.<\/p>\n After captaining the team to a history-making 2-1 series win<\/a> in the one-day internationals, Michael Bracewell has so far been unavailable with a calf injury, but will return. Adam Milne has been scratched altogether<\/a> after a hamstring injury suffered in South Africa. <\/p>\n Lockie Ferguson<\/a> and Tim Seifert were late arrivals after franchise commitments, while Finn Allen<\/a> and Jimmy Neesham will soon link up with the squad after winning Australia\u2019s Big Bash League and the Bangladesh Premier League respectively.<\/p>\n So while, for now, the Black Caps have been outplayed with the bat in particular, the bigger picture is well and truly in the team\u2019s sights. <\/p>\n \u201cTo be honest, their batting has been dynamic, it\u2019s been explosive,\u201d said Mark Chapman. \u201cThe surfaces have been really good, we\u2019re going to have to look at getting some bigger scores.<\/p>\n AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cBut we\u2019re aware that not every surface in India is an absolute belter. There will be a time where the ball will turn. We\u2019ve got to be ready for anything. <\/p>\n \u201cFrom our point of view, there\u2019s no better preparation for a World Cup than facing one of the best T20 teams in the world.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s great to see the way they\u2019re going about their business. Hopefully we can learn one or two things off them.\u201d<\/p>\n However, while up against the might of an Indian side built specifically to defend its 2024 T20 World Cup crown on home soil, the Black Caps can feel as though this series was a missed chance.<\/p>\n After winning a maiden test series on Indian soil in 2024, coupled with this month\u2019s ODI triumph, the Black Caps could have completed the set with victory in the T20s.<\/p>\n However, with the T20 World Cup now less than two weeks away, the team will settle for whatever lessons they can take, even in defeat. <\/p>\n AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cTo be honest, it is disappointing to be out of the series already,\u201d Chapman said. \u201cIndia have played some really good cricket.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s some things that we can tidy up from our end. From our point of view, it\u2019s about reviewing.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got one eye on the World Cup as well, [but] we\u2019ve got two more games here. For us, it\u2019s about fine-tuning things and getting better each game to put us in good stead for that first game against Afghanistan.\u201d<\/p>\n