New Zealand wins the toss, bowls in the 1st T20 against West Indies

By Canadian Press on November 4, 2025.

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand won the toss and chose to bowl Wednesday in the first Twenty20 cricket international against the West Indies.

The match begins a seven-week tour for the West Indies in which they will play New Zealand across all three formats: five T20s, three one-day internationals and three test matches.

The first two T20s will be played at Eden Park over the next two days.

New Zealand is without wicketkeeper batter Tim Seifert, who broke a finger in a domestic match this week. He is replaced by Mitchell Hay, who will play his 12th T20 international.

Zak Foulkes, a star of New Zealand’s recent T20 and ODI series against England, joins Kyle Jamieson and Jacob Duffy in the seam attack.

Pacer Matthew Forde returns from injury in the West Indies lineup while Ackeem Auguste has been included to play his fifth T20 international.

Conditions for the match are sunny and warm.

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Lineups:

New Zealand: Tim Robinson, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner (captain), Zakary Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Jacob Duffy.

West Indies: Shai Hope (captain), Alick Athanaze, Brandon King, Roston Chase, Ackeem Auguste, Rovman Powell, Jason Holder, Romario Shepherd, Matthew Forde, Akeal Hosein, Jayden Seales.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

The Associated Press