New Zealand vs Australia Prediction: Some Key players aren't available

New Zealand and Australia are going head to head in the 1st T20 Match of T20 Series at Sky Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand on 21 Feb 2024. Kane Williamson and Marcus Stoinis will be not available for their respective teams. Who will win this game of cricket?

Currently ranked second in the International Cricket Council's men's T20I team rankings, New Zealand is set to take on fourth-placed Australia in what is expected to be an exciting match between the rivals. The return of fast bowler Trent Boult to the Black Caps lineup adds strength to the pace attack, alongside all-rounder Josh Clarkson. Clarkson, making his debut against Australia, faces a tough challenge. Missing key players such as Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, and Michael Bracewell, New Zealand's squad will have to perform well in the absence of these experienced players.

Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wk), Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (c), Adam Milne, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson

Australia will also benefit from the absence of New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson, who is currently sidelined due to injury. This presents an opportunity for the Australian batters to take advantage of a weakened opposition bowling attack without Jamieson, Neesham, and Mitchell. 

This T20I series is crucial for Australia as it serves as their final preparation before the upcoming T20 World Cup. They will be looking to experiment with different combinations and evaluate fringe players before finalizing their squad for the tournament. All-rounder Aaron Hardie has been called up to replace injured Marcus Stoinis for this series.

Vice-captain and wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Wade will not be participating in the series opener, while all-rounder Cameron Green is also unavailable as he will be playing in the IPL. On the positive side, fast bowler Nathan Ellis has returned to the Australian squad and his skills, including accuracy, speed, and yorkers, will be crucial in this series.

David Warner, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh (c), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade (wk), Adam Zampa, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood

The upcoming match will be held at Sky Stadium in Wellington, marking the first T20I at this venue since 2021. Recent history suggests that the team winning the toss may choose to bat first, with the last two tosses resulting in that decision.

The previous three first-innings totals in T20I matches at this ground were 142, 156, and 208, showcasing a trend of high-scoring games. A competitive first-innings total is likely to be around 170 or more, given the nature of the pitch.

Sky Stadium in Wellington has shorter square boundaries compared to other cricket venues in New Zealand, and the pitch may provide extra bounce or turn. Weather forecasts predict no rain on the matchday, ensuring a full fixture.

Both teams will field weaker squads and XIs due to various absences. With the homeground advantage, New Zealand is favored to win the series opener if their batting lineup performs well.