New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum won the toss and chose to bowl on Friday in the opening Twenty20 international against South Africa.

Fast bowler Doug Bracewell and opener Martin Guptill return to the New Zealand line-up, restoring them to full strength.

South Africa named the same team that beat Canterbury province in a warm-up match on Wednesday and captain AB de Villiers said he was happy to bat.

De Villiers said “to be honest, I was still deciding what I was going to do while I was standing here. We’re pretty happy to bat on what looks like a good wicket.”

New Zealand are coming off a whitewash of Zimbabwe, having won the Test, all three one-dayers and both Twenty20 games.

New Zealand: Brendon McCullum (capt), Martin Guptill, Rob Nicol, Kane Williamson, James Franklin, Colin de Grandhomme, Nathan McCullum, Doug Bracewell, Kyle Mills, Ronnie Hira, Tim Southee.

South Africa: AB de Villiers (capt), Richard Levi, Hashim Amla, Colin Ingram, JP Duminy, Justin Ontong, Albie Morkel, Johan Botha, Rusty Theron, Morne Morkel, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.