New Zealand wins the toss and bowls in the deciding T20 against South Africa

By Canadian Press on March 25, 2026.

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand won the toss and chosen to bowl Wednesday in the fifth and deciding Twenty20 against South Africa at Hagley Oval.

After a run of low-scoring matches, the series is level at 2-2. South Africa won the first match by seven wickets, New Zealand won the second and third by 68 runs and eight wickets, respectively, and South Africa won the fourth by 19 runs.

Both teams named unchanged lineups for the first time this series.

South Africa has retained spinner Prenelan Subrayen, who made an impressive debut in the fourth match at Wellington on Sunday.

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Lineups:

New Zealand: Tim Robinson, Katene Clarke, Dane Cleaver, Nick Kelly, Bevon Jacobs, Jimmy Neesham (captain), Cole McConchie, Josh Clarkson, Zak Foukes, Kyle Jamieson, Ben Sears.

South Africa: Tony de Zorzi, Wiaan Mulder, Connor Esterhuizen, Rubin Hermann, Dian Forrester, Jason Smith, George Linde, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj (captain), Prenelan Subrayen, Ottneil Baartman.

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

The Associated Press