After disappointing results in their respective knockout matches, both South Africa and New Zealand will be looking to start the fresh T20I series on a positive note when they face each other in the first match of the five-match T20I series on Sunday, 15th March at Bay Oval. Both teams will be looking to build solid momentum for this long series. South Africa South Africa will be keen to start a fresh T20I series after getting eliminated by New Zealand in the first semi-final of the 2026 T20 World Cup. It was an all-round brilliance from the Proteas that helped them reach the knockouts while remaining unbeaten in the tournament, but an unfortunate defeat in the semi-final led to their exit. Meanwhile, South Africa will play a five-match series against the Kiwis, starting from Sunday. Their senior players have been given rest after their continuous efforts in the World Cup, and Keshav Maharaj will lead the side yet again. In the batting, Jason Smith, Tony de Zorzi, Connor Esterhuizen, Dian Forrester, Jordan Hermann, and Rubin Hermann will be seen. In contrast, Keshav Maharaj (c), Ottneil Baartman, Eathan Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Nqobani Mokoena, Andile Simelane, Lutho Sipamla, and Prenelan Subrayen are included as the key bowlers. New Zealand New Zealand missed out on a deserved T20 World Cup title after losing the final to India by 96 runs. It was a complete batting failure from the team, while the bowlers had also disappointed with their bowling. The hosts will be looking to move on when they start the T20I series against the Proteas. While some of the key players have been given rest, some new players have been added to the squad after their brilliance in the domestic circuit. Mitchell Santner will take care of the leadership duties in the first three T20Is, and Tom Latham will captain the side in the last two. Latham is set to play his first T20I in nearly three years after his brilliant showdown in the 20-over Super Smash and 50-over Ford Trophy. Michael Bracewell, Adam Milne, and William O'Rourke are sidelined with their injuries. Jayden Lennox is expected to make his T20I debut in the series. Katene Clarke has also received his maiden T20I call-up. NZ vs SA 1st T20I Match Details NZ vs SA T20I Match Details Match New Zealand vs South Africa 1st T20I Match Date and Time Sunday, March 15; 11:45 a.m. IST Venue Bay Oval Ground, Mount Maunganui Broadcasting and live streaming TV - Sony Sports Network; Live Stream - SonyLIV NZ vs SA 1st T20I Pitch Report The surface at the Bay Oval pitch offers a complete batting track for the batters. It’s flat with good bounce and carry, favouring aggressive stroke makers, especially in the first innings. Moreover, the shorter boundary dimensions also give the batting side the license to go big. But as the game progresses, the surface tends to flatten out and batters will get enough time to play their desired shots. Spinners may come into play later in the match if the surface starts to tear. NZ vs SA Weather Report The weather in Mount Maunganui is expected to remain windy and cloudy throughout the entire match, with 60% chances of precipitation predicted. The temperature is likely to be around 17-21°C. However, the early hours of the evening might assist the pace bowlers in extracting good help from the surface. NZ vs SA Head-to-Head Records NZ vs SA head-to-head (in T20Is) Match Played 20 Won by New Zealand 8 Won by South Africa 12 Tied 0 No Result 0 NZ vs SA 1st T20I Probable XI New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (c), Katene Clarke, Devon Conway (wk), Lockie Ferguson, Zak Foulkes, Bevon Jacobs, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham (wk), Jayden Lennox, Cole McConchie, Tim Robinson. South Africa: Keshav Maharaj (c), Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Jordan Hermann, Rubin Hermann, George Linde, Andile Simelane, Lutho Sipamla, Prenelan Subrayen, Jason Smith. Players To Watch Out For In NZ vs SA 1st T20I Match George Linde | SA: The left-arm spinner is capable of playing a good knock on his given day. He provides great stability with his batting in the lower order. Overall, he has scored 333 runs in 32 T20Is and has taken 34 wickets. He is one player to watch out for. Mitchell Santner | NZ: Mitchell Santner is one of the most highly underrated players in the team, who is capable of winning any match on his day with his all-rounder performance. He was really impressive during the T20 World Cup. Overall, he has 128 runs in 6 games and has 11 wickets. Considering the Colombo surface, he can deliver with the ball as well. NZ vs SA 1st T20I Toss Prediction Historical Toss-Winning Stats at the Venue In the last three T20 matches played at this venue, the teams that won the toss have opted to bat twice and bowl once. Advantages of Batting First on This Pitch The team batting first at this venue has won 11 out of the total 18 matches played here, while the teams batting second have won 3 games. This trend suggests that teams should prefer to bat first and focus on putting up a challenging total on their scoreboard. NZ vs SA T20I Today's Match Scenario Scenario 1 Toss Winner: South Africa (opts to bat first) Power-Play Score: 40-42 SA Total: 165-175 Match Winner: South Africa Scenario 2 Toss Winner: New Zealand (opts to bat first) Power-Play Score: 45-50 NZ Total: 175-185 Match Winner: New Zealand Who will win today's NZ vs SA T20I match? New Zealand is expected to win this match. They proved their dominance against the Proteas by eliminating them from the 2026 T20 World Cup with a victory in the semi-final. They have won four matches out of the last five matches played against South Africa. With the home advantage in their favour, the Kiwis are expected to pick a win here.