New Zealand vs England, 3rd ODI

The 3rd ODI between New Zealand and England at Sky Stadium is pivotal in deciding the momentum of the series. New Zealand has showcased strong home form, recently winning 3 of their last 5 ODIs, leveraging familiar conditions and a cohesive bowling attack led by Trent Boult and Tim Southee. England, on their 2025 tour, have had an up-and-down performance, winning 2 out of 5 ODIs, but their batting lineup brings firepower with players like Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow demonstrating resilience under pressure. Historically, New Zealand thrives with a balanced team effort on slower pitches, employing strategic field placements and variation in pace. England might counter this with aggressive batting in the powerplay and utilizing their spinners to disrupt the Kiwis’ scoring momentum. Key players such as Kane Williamson for New Zealand and Ben Stokes for England will influence strategy; Williamson’s ability to anchor innings and Stokes' all-round capabilities are crucial. Bowling depth may also tilt the contest, with New Zealand’s pace attack challenging the English middle order. With both teams evenly matched but New Zealand enjoying home advantage and winning recent series at Sky Stadium, the edge leans slightly towards the Kiwis for this encounter.

AI suggested match winner

New Zealand: 56%, England: 44%

Given the generally slow to medium-paced pitch conditions expected at Sky Stadium, a balanced contest between bat and ball is anticipated. If New Zealand bats first, a total in the range of 270-290 runs is likely, leveraging their solid top order and home advantage. Conversely, England batting first could aim slightly higher, around 280-300, capitalizing on their aggressive opening pair and the ability to accelerate in the middle overs. The pitch traditionally supports disciplined bowling, so teams may find run-scoring challenging without losing wickets upfront. Chasing totals may induce cautious play initially, but both sides possess the firepower to push scores beyond 300 if early partnerships flourish.

Sky Stadium typically offers a flat to slow pitch with low bounce, favoring batsmen who can rotate strike and build innings patiently. The average first-innings score here over the last five ODIs is approximately 280 runs. Chasing teams have won 55% of the matches, indicating a slight advantage for teams batting second. Weather forecast for November 1 indicates clear skies, minimal chance of rain, and moderate humidity, ideal for cricket. Top performers at Sky Stadium: - Best Batsman: Kane Williamson (NZ) holds the record for the highest individual score of 140* here. - Best Bowler: Trent Boult (NZ) boasts 15 wickets at an average of 21.4 on this ground. - Highest Team Total: England posted 315/6 in the most recent encounter at this venue.

Matches	New Zealand Wins	England Wins	No Result
35	18	16	1

Team Recent Performance

Team	Last 5 ODIs	Wins	Losses
New Zealand	W, L, W, W, L	3	2
England	L, W, L, W, L	2	3

Kane Williamson: The New Zealand captain has been pivotal recently, scoring consistent 50+ innings with excellent strike rotation and temperament, anchoring the batting lineup effectively.

Trent Boult: Known for exploiting early swing at home, Boult has taken crucial wickets, maintaining an impressive average under 22 at Sky Stadium.

Tim Southee: Complementing Boult, Southee’s variations and death-over expertise have yielded wickets consistently in recent matches.

Joe Root: England’s linchpin batsman, Root brings stability and strokeplay, with recent scores including two half-centuries in the series showing good form.

Ben Stokes: The all-rounder contributes valuable runs and vital breakthroughs, having made match-winning contributions in batting and bowling this tour.

Jos Buttler: England’s aggressive wicketkeeper-batsman, Buttler has the firepower to change games quickly, demonstrated by rapid 40+ scores in recent ODIs.