England and New Zealand are set to lock horns in the third T20I of their ongoing five-match series on Thursday in Auckland. England, who are leading the series 1-0, would hope to carry on with the form to further strengthen their position in the series. New Zealand, on the other hand, are under immense pressure to bounce back and keep the contest alive.

The first T20I, which was marred by rain and eventually abandoned without a result, had left both sides eager to make a mark in the second match. England, meanwhile, did just that, putting on a dominant all-round display in the second game to outclass New Zealand and take a crucial lead in the series.

Asked to bat, England's batting lineup exploded with power, with Harry Brook and Phil Salt leading the assault with their knocks of 78 and 85, respectively. England racked up a formidable total of 236 for 4 in 20 overs. In reply, New Zealand faltered under growing pressure. There was no resistance from the top order, struggling to challenge England's bowling attack. Adil Rashid was the standout performer bowler for England, claiming four wickets and helping England bowl the hosts out for 171 in just 18 overs. Luke Wood, Brydon Carse and Liam Dawson chipped in with two wickets each, handing England a convincing 65-run victory.

Heading into the third T20I, New Zealand will be desperate to turn the tide, expecting their batting unit to step up against a disciplined English attack. For England, momentum is on their side, and a win in Auckland can get them an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. They will bank on their depth in both batting and bowling, which continues to be a major asset for them.

Head-to-head

Matches - 29

ENG won - 17

NZ won - 10

No result - 2

New Zealand likely XI: Tim Seifert (wk), Tim Robinson, Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner (c), Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy

England probable XI: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (c), Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Jordan Cox, Brydon Carse, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood