Australia and New Zealand are set to renew their trans-Tasman rivalry this week with three T20Is and two Tests starting on Wednesday. The Kiwis will relish the advantage of playing on home turf, yet the track record against their neighbours on home soil doesn’t suggest a straightforward match for them.
Out of the ten T20 encounters between these two sides in New Zealand, the hosts have emerged victorious only thrice, with the Aussies claiming bragging rights on six occasions. However, the head-to-head statistics aren’t the sole concern looming over the New Zealand camp as they prepare for the upcoming tie.
New Zealand’s preparations for the match have been hindered by injury setbacks, with both Matt Henry and Tim Seifert ruled out of contention. Henry is sidelined due to hip soreness, while Seifert faces a potentially extended absence with a torn abductor. In their places, Ben Sears and Will Young have been drafted in as replacements.
Can New Zealand register back-to-back T20 wins against the 2021 World Cup winners? Or, is it going to be another sweet victory for Mitch Marsh’s men on New Zealand soil? We look at the latest betting odds from bookmaker William Hill ahead of the first New Zealand vs. Australia T20 this week.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 19th, 2:00 A.M. (GMT)
High hopes will be pinned on Australia, given their triumph over a West Indies squad almost at full strength in the most recent T20 series. This came even though Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, and Travis Head were all given a break, with Josh Hazlewood featuring in only one match. They are the favourites to open the T20 series with a win at 1.61, while hosts New Zealand are the underdogs at 2.30.
Earlier, Australia received a 4-1 hammering in their last T20 series against India, but they will not be overly concerned since they rested a handful of key players following their victorious ODI World Cup mission.
New Zealand, on the other hand, narrowly missed out on a whitewash series win against Pakistan in their last T20 series. They won the first four games of the series, but Pakistan managed to snatch a consolation win in the last match of the series. The Kiwis, therefore, will be riding high on confidence ahead of their next assignment. Backing them to get across the line in the opening match could be a worthwhile bet.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 19th, 2:00 A.M. (GMT)
New Zealand pacer Tim Southee played a pivotal role in his team’s commanding series victory over Pakistan, claiming 10 wickets across five matches, including an impressive 4-33 performance in the series opener. We anticipate him to continue his success against Australia and therefore, we’re backing him to be the top-performing Black Caps bowler at odds of 5.00.
