New Zealand are currently in the UAE facing the home side in the three-match T20I series. The visitors won the well-fought opening T20I by 19 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series and are expectedly favourites to seal the series as well. While there is not much significance of this series at the moment with ODI World Cup on the horizon but the Kiwi batter Mark Chapman has a great chance to go past India's dynamic T20I batter Suryakumar Yadav.
Surya is currently the highest run-getter in T20Is in 2023 having amassed 433 runs in 10 innings so far at an average of 54.12 with one century and three fifties to his name. Chapman is at the second place in this aspect having scored 368 runs in 11 innings at an average of 52.57 with 104* being the highest score. Chapman needs only 66 runs to go past Surya and become the top run-scorer in the shortest format this year.
New Zealand are scheduled to play T20Is next against Bangladesh at home in December. On the other hand, Suryakumar Yadav will be next in action in the format in November against Australia in a five-match T20I series. This is a good chance for Chapman to score big in the next two matches against the UAE and make sure to go past his Indian counterpart for now.
However, the left-handed batter could only muster 15 runs in the first game before getting out to Mohammed Faraazuddin. He will be keen on making amends and coming up with a good show in the next two matches of the series on August 19 and 20 respectively.
New Zealand squad for UAE T20Is: Chad Bowes, Mark Chapman, Jimmy Neesham, Rachin Ravindra, Will Young, Dean Foxcroft, Cole McConchie, Mitchell Santner, Dane Cleaver, Tim Seifert, Adithya Ashok, Tim Southee (C), Kyle Jamieson, Ben Lister, Jacob Duffy
