ZIM vs NZ Match Prediction, 3rd T20I for Zimbabwe T20I Tri-Series: Who will win today between Zimbabwe and New Zealand?

Zimbabwe vs New Zealand Match Preview

New Zealand and Zimbabwe will play the third match of their T20I series at Harare Sports Club on this Friday 18th July at 04:30 pm local time. The Kiwis will try to keep their winning streak alive. New Zealand is coming in hot with five straight wins, including a 4-0 T20I series win against Pakistan back in March 2025. But Zimbabwe is having a hard time, with four losses and one draw in their last five games. They even got beat badly by South Africa. In the past, New Zealand has always won against Zimbabwe in T20Is, leading 5-0. Their last win was by 80 runs in 2015. The Kiwis are strong in all areas, while Zimbabwe's batting and bowling are not consistent, which probably means New Zealand will win.

Weather and Pitch Report

Weather: It's going to be sunny with temps around 24°C (75°F), and just a light breeze from the south (5 mph). No rain expected.

Pitch: In Harare, the pitch helps fast bowlers early on, but then it gets really good for batting. Teams that bat first usually score around 160-180 in T20Is. Spin bowlers might have a tough time as the game goes on.

Key Players to Watch

Tim Seifert (NZ Batter): This guy's been killing it, averaging 62.25 with a crazy strike rate of 207.5 in his last five games. 

Mark Chapman (NZ All-Rounder): He's a solid finisher with 191 runs at a 144.69 strike rate. Plus, he bowls off-spin, which gives New Zealand another option.

Jacob Duffy (NZ Bowler): Duffy is leading New Zealand's fast bowlers. He has 21 wickets and a 6.06 economy. 

Sikandar Raza (ZIM All-Rounder): As captain, Raza's got to be on form. His contributions are key for Zimbabwe to compete.

Richard Ngarava (ZIM Bowler): With 11 wickets and an 8.45 economy, he's Zimbabwe's main threat with the new ball.

Head to Head Matches

New Zealand has pretty much owned Zimbabwe in past T20 games:

August 9, 2015: New Zealand (198/5) smoked Zimbabwe (118/10) by a hefty 80 runs.

February 14, 2012: New Zealand (146/5) caught up to Zimbabwe's 144/5 with just 2 balls to spare.

February 11, 2012: New Zealand (174/3) passed Zimbabwe's 170/6 in just under 18 overs.

ZIM vs NZ Match Prediction

New Zealand's got a good shot at beating Zimbabwe, like 70% chance. Their team is just stronger right now. Zimbabwe's middle order has been shaky, and they're up against some tough bowlers from New Zealand. For New Zealand, Seifert and Chapman could take advantage of Zimbabwe's weak bowling. If they win the toss, New Zealand might want to bat first since the pitch could get harder to bat on later.

Expert Analysis:

New Zealand: Expect Seifert and Ravindra to go big in the first 6 overs, shooting for 60+. Duffy and Foulkes will try to get wickets fast.

Zimbabwe: Raza and Bennett need to hold it together if they lose early wickets. Ngarava and Gwandu must keep NZ's score down mid-game.

Toss: 

Captains will probably bat first to dodge the pressure of chasing.

Predicted Scores:

NZ batting first: 190–210

ZIM batting first: 140–160

Final Result:

Who will win today cricket match? New Zealand should win by around 40–50 runs, or by 6 wickets. Tim Seifert could be the best player.