New Zealand will face Sri Lanka in the second ODI of the ongoing series on 8th January at Seddon Park in Hamilton.
Match Preview:
After winning the T20 series, New Zealand kickstarted the ODI series on a high-note as Mitchell Santner’s men outclass the tourists in every department of the game, winning the game one-sided.
Matt Henry was the pick of the bowlers as he picked up 4 wickets for just 19 runs in his quota of the 10 overs. Nathan Smith also shined for his side in his 3rd ODI for the team as he took two wickets. Although he was a bit expensive, the wickets will give him the much-needed confidence for the forthcoming ODI and considering he is quite new to the international the figures 2-43 are not that bad as well.
Will Young continued his rich form in the ODIs and scored unbeaten 90 in the 1st ODI. New Zealand will look to win the upcoming ODI to claim the series with one game to spare. In the last ODI series played between the nations, Sri Lanka were victorious so this team New Zealand would look to take a revenge. And it will also boost their confidence for the upcoming Tri-series and Champions Trophy 2025.
Talking about Sri Lanka, they were just awful as a batting unit as they bundled out for just 178 runs with only Avishka Fernando, Janith Liyanage, and Wanindu Hasaranga crossing the double digit with the bat.
If Sri Lanka wants to keep the series alive, they will have to give it all in the second ODI to enforce a decider in Auckland.
The responsibility will be on the likes of Kusal Mendis, Hasaranga, Fernando, and Asitha Fernando to step up and deliver as now it matters the most. Mendis will have to step-up in the batting unit while Asitha Fernando and Hasaranga should create magic with the ball and Avishka should continue to do what he does best – playing the best brand of cricket.
Probable Playing XI:
Sri Lanka:
Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka (c), Janith Liyanage, C Wickramasinghe, Wanindu Hasaranga, Ehsan Malinga, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando
New Zealand:
Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, M Hay (wk), Mitchell Santner (c), Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, William O’Rourke
Weather and Pitch report:
Looking ahead to the match, the weather forecast is predicting a cool and overcast afternoon, with a gentle breeze picking up in the evening. Temperatures will peak at around 14°C, so it’s going to be a bit chilly. There’s a slight chance of rain in the afternoon, but it’s only 17% and it’s expected to clear up by the evening.
As for the pitch, it’s shaping up to be a great batting track, but the overcast conditions might make things a bit tricky for the batsmen early on. The ball could swing around a bit, so they’ll need to be patient and take some time to settle in before they can start playing their shots freely. It’s going to be a test of their skills, but if they can weather the initial storm, they could be in for a great day of batting.
Head-to-head record:
A total of 106 matches have been played between these two sides, with New Zealand leading the tally with 53 victories. Sri Lanka has secured 43 wins, while nine matches ended without a result, and one match was tied.
Prediction:
Given their recent performances, New Zealand is expected to win the second ODI of the series
Where to Watch:
New Zealand: TVNZ1, Sports Nation, and The ACC
Pakistan: Tapmad
Sri Lanka: Dialog TV
India: Sony Sports, Sony LIV
Australia: Kayo Sports
UK: TNT Sports
