NZ vs SA 2025/26, NZ vs SA 1st T20I Match Preview

Big picture: Focus on the future

Of course, this series will see the likes of Ish Sodhi, Kyle Jamieson, George Linde and Jason Smith – who were part of their respective teams’ World Cup squads but did not play that game – get some game time, but mainly, this series will serve as a platform for prospective talents from both countries who still haven’t broken into the first team.

For New Zealand, the likes of Tim Robinson and Bevon Jacobs will get more opportunities to shine, while South African fans will keep their eyes peeled for Jordan Hermann and Nqobani Mokoena, who were the highest uncapped run-scorer and wicket-taker respectively in the most recent SA20 season.

This series also officially begins both countries’ road to the 2028 T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by New Zealand. For some of the players in the fray, it’s an opportunity to begin early auditions for the big event.

Form guide

New Zealand LWLWW (Last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
South Africa LWWWW

In the spotlight: Bevon Jacobs and Ottneil Baartman

Team news

For the first T20I, with many of their batters rested, New Zealand may be a little light in that department. Josh Clarkson will likely slot in at No. 5, with the team heavy on allrounders, although with a couple of left-handers in South Africa’s top order, Cole McConchie could get the nod to repeat his heroics from the World Cup semi-final.

New Zealand XI (probable): 1 Devon Conway (wk), 2 Nick Kelly, 3 Tim Robinson, 4 Bevon Jacobs, 5 Josh Clarkson/Cole McConchie, 6 Mitchell Santner (capt), 7 Jimmy Neesham, 8 Kyle Jamieson, 9 Ben Sears/Nathan Smith, 10 Zak Foulkes, 11 Ish Sodhi

Keshav Maharaj is set to lead South Africa in his 50th T20I, while the Hermann brothers are set to play together. Jason Smith, who was originally supposed to be South Africa’s finisher in India and Sri Lanka but was pushed down the pecking order after Tristan Stubbs’ late surge in form, will get a good run in that role during this series.

South Africa XI (probable): 1 Connor Esterhuizen (wk), 2 Jordan Hermann, 3 Tony de Zorzi, 4 Rubin Hermann, 5 Jason Smith, 6 Wiaan Mulder, 7 George Linde, 8 Keshav Maharaj (capt), 9 Gerald Coetzee, 10 Ottneil Baartman, 11 Lutho Sipamla

Pitch and conditions

Stats and trivia

Quotes

“New Zealand are a really strong side, obviously coming off a really big high coming from India. But I think with the squad that we have, there’s a lot of energy within the environment being a lot younger. So hopefully it will be a good, strong series and fingers crossed we come out on top.”

South Africa stand-in captain Keshav Maharaj