India, New Zealand meet in fifth T20 at Hamilton's Seddon Park on November 1, pitch in focus

Four matches of the five-match T20 series between India and New Zealand have been played. India won the first three matches to take the series. New Zealand made a strong comeback in the fourth match and won it. The fifth and final match of the series will be played at Seddon Park in Hamilton on November 1.

Batters have dominated the series so far, and they held the upper hand in the fourth T20 as well. For that reason, all eyes will be on the pitch in the final match. The question is whether the Seddon Park pitch will favour batters or bowlers will dominate.

The boundaries at Seddon Park are short, which helps batters. They can easily send the ball out of the ground. A batter who settles in at the crease can build a big score. The pitch may offer fast bowlers some help early on, as the ball can seam and swing. As the match progresses, the pitch is considered easier to bat on.

The team batting first will have to play the first few overs carefully. The captain who wins the toss may decide to bowl first. Shreyas Iyer has chosen to bowl first in all four matches. Overall, a high-scoring match is expected at Seddon Park. The average first-innings score at this ground is 180. Teams batting first have won nine matches here, while teams batting second have won five. The toss will therefore play an important role.

India lead the series 3-1 and will take the field without any pressure. There may be changes in the playing eleven, and Vaibhav Suryavanshi could get a chance.

India's record in Hamilton is not a long one. India's last win here came six years ago. Team India have played only two T20 internationals in Hamilton. India lost one match by four runs. The other ended in a tie and India won it in a Super Over.

New Zealand have performed well at this ground. They have won 11 of the 14 matches they have played in Hamilton. The Kiwi side have also won their last four matches here in a row.