Thiruvananthapuram is buzzing with anticipation as India and New Zealand gear up for the decisive fifth T20I on Saturday at the Greenfield Stadium. All eyes will be on local hero Sanjú Samson, who desperately needs a big knock to salvage his series and stake a claim for the 2026 T20 World Cup squad.
Samson has endured a nightmare run in the first four matches, managing just 40 runs with a highest of 24. Thrust into the opener’s role ahead of Shubman Gill and handed wicketkeeping duties, the 31-year-old Kerala stalwart has faltered badly. His home ground offers the perfect stage for redemption, where cheering fans could spark a turnaround.
The pressure is mounting with Ishan Kishan shining brightly as the backup keeper, smashing a blistering 76 in the second T20. Samson’s spot in the World Cup playing XI hinges on this outing. A substantial score here could reignite his confidence and silence doubters.
India boasts an impeccable record at Greenfield, winning three of four T20Is played here. The first innings average stands at 155, with their highest tally of 235 against Australia in 2023 setting a benchmark. Captain Suryakumar Yadav will look to leverage this home advantage to clinch the series.
The match kicks off at 7 PM IST, live on Star Sports Network with streaming on JioHotstar. Squads are primed, but Samson’s bat will tell the real story.
**India Squad:** Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravi Bishnoi.
**New Zealand Squad:** Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway (wk), Jacob Duffy, Jacob Foulkes, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Ish Sodhi.