New Zealand vs South Africa Prediction & Match Preview – 4th T20I, Wellington

New Zealand host South Africa in the fourth T20I of the tour at Sky Stadium, Wellington, on Sunday, 22 March, with a 7:15 pm local start. South Africa have lost consecutive games, and this is their last chance to keep the series alive.

New Zealand won the second match by eight wickets with 22 balls to spare, but they will be without captain Mitchell Santner for the final two games. Devon Conway and Tom Latham are set to open; the pair added 96 in the last game, where Latham made 63 off 55 balls and Conway 39 after 60 in the second match. Tim Robinson bats at three, Nick Kelly follows with James Neesham and Cole McConchie, and Lockie Ferguson, who took a wicket while conceding nine runs from four overs, leads the attack alongside Ben Sears and Kyle Jamieson.

South Africa have struggled, with Wiaan Mulder and Tony de Zorzi expected to open and Connor Esterhuizen at three. George Linde, who hit 33 off 12 in the second game, is the batter to watch, and Keshav Maharaj leads a bowling group that includes Lutho Sipamla, Nqobani Mokoena and Gerald Coetzee. Ottneil Baartman, the leading wicket-taker in the recent SA20, missed the last game.

Pitch report

Sky Stadium usually offers something for everyone. Wellington’s wind can help fast bowlers with swing and seam early on, then the surface settles and batting becomes easier with consistent bounce. Spinners can contribute in the middle overs, but pace has the bigger impact. Around 170 is generally a competitive T20 score, and chasing can become tricky if the pitch slows.

Weather

Conditions look good for cricket at the 7:15 pm local start, with mild temperatures of 17–19 °C and mostly clear to partly cloudy skies. Rain is very unlikely and a moderate breeze may help the quicks early, while dew should be minimal.

Expected scores

• 1st innings: 165–180
• 2nd innings: 155–175