New Zealand national cricket team captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to bat first against Keshav Maharaj-led South Africa national cricket team in the first T20I of the South Africa tour of New Zealand at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Sunday, March 15, 2026. Nick Kelly is making his T20I debut for New Zealand, while South Africa have handed international debuts to Connor Esterhuizen, Jordan Hermann, Dian Forrester and Nqobani Mokoena.

 The five-match series comes shortly after the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. New Zealand finished runners-up in the tournament after losing the final to India national cricket  team in Ahmedabad, while South Africa’s campaign ended in the semifinals, where they were defeated by New Zealand by nine wickets earlier this month.

NZ vs SA 1st T20I Playing XIs

South Africa (Playing XI): Connor Esterhuizen(w), Jordan Hermann, Tony de Zorzi, Rubin Hermann, Jason Smith, Dian Forrester, George Linde, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj(c), Nqobani Mokoena, Ottneil Baartman

New Zealand (Playing XI): Devon Conway, Tom Latham(w), Tim Robinson, Nick Kelly, Bevon Jacobs, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner(c), Zakary Foulkes, Cole McConchie, Kyle Jamieson, Ben Sears