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New Zealand v India: fifth ODI at Bay Oval on Sunday

Meera ChandranPublished just now2 min readBased on 2 sources
New Zealand v India: fifth ODI at Bay Oval on Sunday
Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

New Zealand and India meet in the fifth one-day international of their white-ball series on Sunday 15 November, at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. The match is due to start at 2am UK time, so British fans will need an early alarm or a late-night stream.

A one-day international, or ODI, is a 50-over match for each side. The format sits between the short Twenty20 games and the five-day Test. This fifth ODI is part of a wider run of 10 white-ball matches between the two teams, which includes T20 internationals as well as one-day games. New Zealand Cricket says the BLACKCAPS, New Zealand's team, sold out seven of those white-ball games against India, and Bay Oval was sold out for its match.

The squad has changed around the edges. Central Districts fast bowler Brett Randell has earned his first call-up to the BLACKCAPS for the fourth and fifth ODIs. Kristian Clarke has joined the ODI squad as bowling cover for Blair Tickner, who was hit by a ball while batting in the second ODI. Tickner's availability for this match has not been confirmed.

Several New Zealand players are out of the ODI series. Devon Conway has been ruled out of the remaining ODIs after a concussion sustained while fielding in training. Mark Chapman is missing the series with a hamstring injury, and Rachin Ravindra is out with a shoulder injury. Those absences leave gaps in the batting order that the new faces will need to fill.

The final team lineups will be named at the toss, the coin flip that starts each match and decides which captain bats or bowls first. Until then, no one knows for certain who will take the field for either side. Fans following from abroad can check the BBC scorecard for the full card once play begins.

For casual fans, the appeal of a series like this often comes down to the small moments. A new bowler finding his length in his first match, or a batter filling in for an injured teammate, can shape a result as much as any big hit. Sunday's game gives both teams a chance to test those options in front of a full ground.