How the Black Caps can still make the tri-series Twenty20 final if they lose to England

Martin Guptill bats during the first Tri-Series T20 match against England. Photo / Getty Images

The Black Caps have their Twenty20 Tri-Series title hopes on the line tonight when they take on England at Hamilton's Seddon Park.

The Black Caps go into the match with one win on the board, while England are still in search of their first.

A win would confirm the Black Caps' spot against an unbeaten Australian side in the final, while England will be banking on a victory to keep their hopes alive.

However, for England, it'll take more than just winning the match to claim a spot in the final.

If the Black Caps lose, how do they make the final?

If the Black Caps lose tonight, Kane Williamson's men could still bag the remaining final spot due to net run rates.

If England bat first, they will need to win by approximately 20 runs more than New Zealand's final total - the more they score, the more they will need to win by.

If they are forced to bat second, England will need to have won the match with two or three overs to spare.

So, if the Black Caps lose by less than 20 or in the last two overs, they should still make it though to the final.

Australia, who haven't lost a game in the series, will sit comfortably knowing they have what it takes to beat both teams.

Here is all you need to know about tonight's match:

Where and when will the match be played?

The match will be played at Seddon Park in Hamilton and is set to kick off around 7pm.

It will be broadcasted on Sky Channel 51, with the match preview starting at 6.30pm. Live updates will also be available on the Herald website.

Will Ben Stokes be playing?

Despite linking up with the England team on Friday evening, the star all-rounder will not play in tonights game against the Blackcaps.

Stokes missed out on the entire Ashes series but is a good chance of playing in the first ODI against the Black Caps next week.

What are the odds?

Head-to-head, both the Black Caps and England sit at $1.87 to win the game.

Current standings:

Australia: Four wins from four games with a total of eight points. Their net run rate is 1.719.

Black Caps: One wins from three games with a total of two points. Their net run rate is -0.740.

England: Zero wins from three games with zero points. Their net run rate is -1.406.

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