1st T20I: India opt to bowl vs New Zealand

Wellington, Feb 6 (IANS) Stand-in India skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bowl against New Zealand in the first of the three-match Twenty20 international rubber here on Wednesday.

All-rounder Daryl Mitchell makes his T20I debut for the Kiwis while Rishabh Pant, who missed a place in the ODI squad, finds a spot in the Indian playing eleven.

Playing XI:

New Zealand: Colin Munro, Tim Seifert (Wicket-keeper), Kane Williamson (Captain), Ross Taylor, Daryl Mitchell, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Scott Kuggeleijn, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson

India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Vijay Shankar, Dinesh Karthik, M.S. Dhoni (Wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, K. Khaleel Ahmed.