MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand has won the toss Sunday and chosen to bat in the first of five Twenty20 internationals against South Africa, beginning only a week after New Zealand's loss to India in the T20 World Cup final.
Eight members of the New Zealand World Cup squad including Rachin Ravindra, Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Glenn Phillips, Jacob Duffy, Daryl Mitchell and Mark Chapman are unavailable while preparing for the Indian Premier League or Pakistan Super League.
New Zealand beat South Africa by nine wickets in the World Cup semifinals after previously losing to the Proteas in group play.
Australia-born batter Nick Kelly will make his T20 debut for New Zealand after previously playing in three one-day internationals against Pakistan last year. Tom Latham, Tim Robinson, Bevon Jacobs and Zak Foulkes rejoin the New Zealand team along with Ben Sears who was a traveling reserve at the World Cup.
Connor Esterhuizen will make his debut for South Africa along Dian Forrester and Jordan Hermann who joins brother Rubin Hermann in the Proteas lineup.
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Tom Latham, Tim Robinson, Nick Kelly, Bevon Jacobs, Mitchell Santner (captain), Jimmy Neesham, Cole McConchie, Zak Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Ben Sears.
South Africa: Connor Esterhuizen, Jordan Hermann, Tony de Zorzi, Rubin Hermann, Jason Smith, Dian Forrester, George Linde, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj (captain), Nqobani Mokoena, Ottneil Baartman.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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