The West Indies will look to level the series when they take on New Zealand in the third and final Test match of the three-match series at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui. New Zealand will aim to whitewash the series, while the West Indies aims to rebuild their momentum and level the series.

 

New Zealand

 

New Zealand thrashed the West Indies in the second Test match by 9 wickets and took a 1-0 lead in the series. Devon Conway, Mitchell Hay and Jacob Duffy were the standout performers in the match. Conway and Hay scored their respective half-centuries in the first innings, which helped the team post a formidable score in the first innings. However, it was Jacob Duffy's brilliant bowling performance that took the match home for the Kiwis. He grabbed a fifer in the second innings and dismantled the batting lineup of the West Indies team. 

 

West Indies

 

West Indies must be disappointed with their performance in the second Test match, especially after pulling off a miracle in the opening Test match and sealing a draw. They were nowhere near their best in the second match; their batters even struggled to score against the pace attack of New Zealand. However, the match-saver of the first match, Justin Greaves, will be expected to perform well in the last match. The West Indies still have a chance to save themselves in the series. 

 

NZ vs WI Match Details

 

NZ vs WI Match Details
Match	New Zealand vs West Indies 3rd Test Match
Date and Time	Thursday, December 18 to Monday, December 22; 3:30 a.m. IST
Venue	Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
Broadcasting and live streaming	TV - NA; Live Stream - FanCode (app and website)

 

NZ vs WI 3rd Test Pitch Report

 

The pitch at the Basin Reserve in Wellington is known for helping pace bowlers, making the first few hours crucial in the match. The surfaces offer great help to the fast bowlers at the start, offering them good pace, movement and bounce, especially in overcast or windy conditions. However, as the game settles, the batters will have to take their time out to play their shots cautiously. 

 

NZ vs WI 3rd Test Weather Report

 

The weather for the 3rd Test match in Bay Oval is expected to be partly sunny, with a temperature of around 22°C, with 10% chance of rain, 52% humidity, with the wind blowing at a speed of 18 kmph.

 

NZ vs WI Head-to-Head Records

 

NZ vs WI head-to-head (in Test)
Match Played	51
Won by New Zealand	18
Won by West Indies	13
Draw	20
No Result	0

 

NZ vs WI 3rd Test Probable XI

 

• New Zealand: Devon Conway, Tom Latham (c), Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, Glenn Phillips, Kristian Clarke, Jacob Duffy,  Michael Rae

 

• West Indies: John Campbell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Alick Athanaze, Shai Hope, Kavem Hodge, Roston Chase (c), Tevin Imlach, Justin Greaves, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Ojay Shields.

 

Players To Watch Out For In NZ vs WI 3rd Test Match

 

• Jacob Duffy | NZ: Jacob Duffy has been breathing fire with his bowling in this series. He was the standout performer in the second Test match, taking 6 wickets across both innings and helping the team seal a convincing victory. He has taken 14 wickets in just two matches in this series so far. With the conditions helping the fast bowlers in Bay Oval, all eyes will be on Duffy once again. He will be a player to watch out for in this match.

 

• Shai Hope | WI: Shai Hope has been the most dependable batter of this team lately. He proves his ability whenever the team needs him the most. He has been their most prominent batter in this series, scoring 249 runs in just 4 innings at an average of 62.25, including one century and one half-century. He will be a player to watch out for in this game.

 

NZ vs WI 3rd Test Toss Prediction

 

Historical Toss-Winning Stats at the Venue

 

• In the last three Test matches played at this venue, the toss-winning skippers have opted to bowl on two occasions and bat once.

 

Advantages of Batting First on This Pitch

 

• In the total 5 Test matches played at this venue, the team batting first has won 3 matches, while the team batting second has won 2 matches. This suggests that batting first at this venue will be an ideal option.

 

NZ vs WI Test Today's Match Scenario

 

Scenario 1

 

• Toss Winner: West Indies (opts to bat first)


• WI 1st Innings: 210-250


• WI 2nd Innings: 260-280


• Match Winner: New Zealand

 

Scenario 2

 

• Toss Winner: New Zealand (opts to bat first)


• NZ 1st Innings: 2850-310


• NZ 2nd Innings: 280-350


• Match Winner: New Zealand

 

Who will win today's NZ vs WI 3rd Test match?

 

New Zealand will start as the clear favourites to win this game and seal the series. They pulled off a convincing victory in the second Test match, where Kiwi bowlers dominated the match and the West Indies batting lineup. The kind of surface Bay Oval offers is very much suitable for the pace bowling lineup of New Zealand.