Sri Lanka and New Zealand are all set to kick off their three-match T20I series with the first match on Saturday, November 9, 2024 at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium. The hosts Sri Lanka come into this clash in great form, while New Zealand will be hoping to turn things around after an abysmal run in T20 World Cup 2024. Sri Lanka hopes to maintain its purple patch at home with a two-match Twenty20 series against New Zealand starting Saturday — but rains may force the host to keep its formidable spin attack on standby.
Apparently, a little and a lot. New Zealand were last in Sri Lanka few weeks ago, where they were promptly dispatched 2-0 in the Test series, and then sent along to India in trepidation for – what everyone presumed – would be a similar shellacking.
SL vs NZ : Previous Performances
Sri Lanka has been firing on all cylinders. They took down India 2-0 in an ODI series, swept New Zealand 2-0 in Tests, and then grabbed a white-ball series win over the West Indies just last month. With Charith Asalanka leading a solid squad that’s stayed mostly unchanged, they will be hoping to keep that momentum going and make a strong to the series.
Notably, the Island nation is coming back to action after they got the better of the West Indies in the white-ball series, which took place in October. the Lankan Lions managed to win the series by a 2-1 margin. Moving ahead, in the follow-up to the upcoming series, Sri Lanka have in fact retained the same squad for the T20Is.
On the other hand, New Zealand had a tough time at the T20 World Cup, crashing out in the group stage. But they recently pulled off a massive 3-0 Test series win over India, marking their first-ever series win on Indian soil. While they’re bringing in a young squad for this series, they’ve got Mitchell Santner at the helm, and he’s been in top form. Now, they will be looking to shake off those T20 struggles and give Sri Lanka a run for their money.
Coming to New Zealand, they have been out of 20-over action ever since the conclusion of a disappointing T20 World Cup 2024 campaign for them. They come in with a largely inexperienced squad into the series.
SL vs NZ : Head to Head
Both teams have faced off 24 times in the history of the T20 format where New Zealand have a clear advantage with 13 wins compared to the Sri Lanka’s 9 victories whereas two matches ended in a no result.
| Matches Played | 24 |
| Won by Sri Lanka | 09 |
| Won by New Zealand | 13 |
| No Result | 02 |
| First-ever Fixture | January 17, 2007 |
| Most-recent Fixture | April 8, 2023 |
SL vs NZ : Pitch Report
The pitch is expected to be a good one for batting. Spinners will get good assistance, especially as the game progresses. There might be some help for the pacers with the new ball. Scores in the range of 150-170 are expected. Teams may prefer chasing.
Sri Lanka’s spinners might have played a key role in their 2-0 triumph over New Zealand in October, but the Black Caps’ stunning performance in India provides a captivating backdrop on their return to the isle. Dambulla is expected to continue aiding spin and turn, but in Santner, Phillips and Ish Sodhi, New Zealand have the tools to hurt Sri Lanka if conditions prove favorable to them. They’re also buoyant after their remarkable show in India.
And while it’s true that Sri Lanka’s batters have done well in combatting opposition spinners at home, there are two caveats. New Zealand were perhaps a touch undercooked ahead of the Tests in October, while the West Indies, by their own admission, bowled poorly.
Moreover, if Sri Lanka persist with spin-friendly surfaces – specifically against this fairly green New Zealand outfit – they need to be mindful of unintentionally bridging the gap between the two sides while at the same time limiting their own strengths: namely their strong batting and seam-bowling contingents.
One thing that could play a role is the weather. Rain is predicted across the week, though crucially not on match days. If rain is around, the likelihood of seam playing a role might increase, even if not by design.
The track at Dambulla, generally favours the spinners, due to its dry surface and low bounce. Hence, for the batters scoring might prove to be a touch challenging. The ball tends to grip and turn as the game progresses. Conditions under lights can bring some swing. Hence the home skipper will be tempted to have a target in sight for a calculative run chase, after winning the crucial toss.
Dambulla’s pitch tends to favor spinners with its dry, low-bounce surface. Batting here can be tricky, especially as the ball starts to grip and turn. The average first innings score is around 118, so big runs are hard to come by. Out of six T20Is here, four have gone to teams batting first, so expect the toss winner to choose to bat.
SL vs NZ : Big Picture : A perfect time to start building towards next T20 World Cup for Sri Lanka and New Zealand
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, were simply tasked with continuing the good vibes. They’d lost the Test series in England but a consolatory final Test win had been sandwiched between an ODI series victory against India and the Test series win against New Zealand. West Indies, who they had not beaten in a T20I series ever, were up next and Sri Lanka duly proceeded to create history by winning the ODIs and T20Is. The vibes have been good.
As for New Zealand, from not even having a ticket they’ve just had a bump to first class aboard SS Vibes, having completed a quite astounding 3-0 Test whitewash of India in India.
Even though this is a different format and their squad has an almost different look – save for Mitchell Santner, Glenn Phillips, Will Young, Michael Bracewell, Ish Sodhi and Mark Chapman – it’ll be churlish to presume there won’t be some pep in their step even if some of them were blanked 0-2 in the Galle Tests not long ago. The New Zealand-India series just proved that recent form often counts for nought.
Throw in the tasty morsel of a T20 World Cup some 15 months away – one which Sri Lanka is co-hosting – and you have all the elements for a fierce contest.
Sri Lanka’s T20I squad is unchanged from the one that played against West Indies. Aside from one or two areas, they look largely settled in terms of the make-up come the 2026 T20 World Cup.
New Zealand, however, have made a raft of changes from the group that suffered a group-stage exit in the Caribbean. Sure, Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Southee and Kane Williamson were all not considered for selection as they opted to prioritise prep for the home Tests against England starting later this month.
But Trent Boult, Matt Henry, Finn Allen and James Neesham, are all star names left out since the summer tournament. And among the few who have opted out, the clock could be ticking for the likes of Williamson, Southee and, to an extent, Mitchell.
This, therefore, is a youthful squad, supplemented by some experienced (but not necessarily old) heads looking to stake a claim in this new T20 cycle that culminates with the 2026 World Cup.
Sri Lanka’s fast-bowling talent has never been as strong as it is currently. A non-exhaustive list includes, in no particular order, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, Binura Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara. These are just some names. Into that mix also comes Eshan Malinga, who has impressed with the ‘A’ team.
It is in this context that it needs noting how many overs of seam bowling Sri Lanka utilized in the three T20Is against West Indies. The seamers bowled only 17.1 overs, of which 7.1 overs were bowled by Pathirana. Yes, the same Pathirana who was just retained by IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings for a whopping US $1.56 million, bowled only 43 balls out of a series quota of 72.
It’s no secret that Sri Lanka’s recent home success has come on pitches suited more to spin. A strong argument is that there is no harm in playing to one’s strengths at home. It is a winning strategy in the short term, but it’ll be intriguing to see if Sri Lanka continue with that approach, as it seems to be coming at the expense of a generation’s worth of seam-bowling talent.
SL vs NZ : Players To Watch Out For In SL vs NZ 1st T20I
Top All-Rounders
Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)
Wanindu Hasaranga has been a wicket-taker for Sri Lanka, claiming 17 wickets in his last 10 matches at an economy of 8.15 and an exceptional strike rate of 12.82. His leg-spin will be a powerful weapon in the middle overs. Moreover, he’s handy with the bat too and can add quick runs down the order.
Mitchell Santner (New Zealand)
Captain Mitchell Santner has been in sensational form as seen in the Test series against India. His left-arm spin will be crucial on the Dambulla surface which will assist spinners. Moreover, the southpaw has time and again shown that he is no mug with the bat.
Top Batting Performers
Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka)
Kusal Mendis has been in excellent form, scoring 372 runs in his last 10 matches at an average of 41.33 and a strike rate of 127.39. His consistent run-scoring ability at the top makes him a crucial player for Sri Lanka.
Mark Chapman (New Zealand)
Mark Chapman has scored 147 runs in his last 7 matches at an average of 36.75 and a high strike rate of 145.54. His explosive style adds depth to the New Zealand batting lineup.
Top Bowling Performers
Nuwan Thushara (Sri Lanka)
Nuwan Thushara has taken 14 wickets in his last games, at an economy rate of 6.57 and an impressive strike rate of 7.57, making him a potent strike bowler.
Lockie Ferguson (New Zealand)
Lockie Ferguson has picked up 7 wickets in 4 matches at a sensational economy of 4 runs per over and a strike rate of 13.71. His pace and precision make him a threat to any batting lineup.
SL vs NZ : Vital stats that matters
- Recently, New Zealand inflicted a 3-0 whitewash over India in a Test series played in India.
- In T20 format, Finn Allen and Tim Southee have been bankable performers for New Zealand.
- Sri Lanka managed to beat West Indies in a three-match series played in Sri Lanka.
SL vs NZ : Team News for SL and NZ
Sri Lanka :
In the batting department, the side will be relying on the likes of Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, captain Charith Asalanka and Bhanuka Rajapaksa to deliver the bulk of the runs.
Since Jun 2004, Pathum Nissanka has topped the batting charts for Sri Lanka in the T20 Format. In nine matches played, Nissanka has accumulated 291 runs at a strike rate of 133.48 with two half-centuries to his name.
In the bowling department, the side will be depending on the likes of Wanindu Hasaranga, Mahesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Kamindu Mendis and Dunith Wellalage to deliver timely breakthroughs.
Since Jun 2004, Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga topped the bowling charts for Sri Lanka in the 20-over format. In the nine matches played, Hasaranga claimed 15 wickets at an economy rate of 8.16.
Sri Lanka Predicted Playing XI: Charith Asalanka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kamindu Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara and Dunith Wellalage
New Zealand :
In the batting department, the side will be depending on the likes of Glenn Phillips, Dean Foxcroft, Mark Chapman, Tim Robinson and Mitchell Hay to deliver the bulk of the runs.
In the bowling department, the side will be relying on the likes of Zak Foulkes, Mitchell Santner, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy, and Ish Sodhi to deliver timely breakthroughs.
New Zealand Predicted Playing XI : Mitchell Santner (captain),Glenn Phillips, Tim Robinson, Mitchell Hay, Mark Chapman, Dean Foxcroft, Michael Bracewell, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy, Josh Clarkson, Ish Sodhi, Zak Foulkes.
SL vs NZ Fantasy XI : Kusal Mendis, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Charith Asalanka, Pathum Nissanka, Mitchell Santner, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kamindu Mendis, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Matheesha Pathirana
SL vs NZ : Probable Best Performers from SL vs NZ
Probable Best Batter: Kusal Mendis
The recently concluded T20I series between Sri Lanka and West Indies saw the talented wicketkeeper-batter, Kusal Mendis, emerging as the top-scorer with 113 runs in three innings. He would be keen on carrying forward the momentum in yet another 20-over series.
Probable Best Bowler: Dunith Wellalage
The left-arm orthodox spinner Dunith Wellalage had a couple of splendid outings in the white-ball series against West Indies. With the unique angle he creates, he will be keen on putting on a good show against the Blackcaps.
SL vs NZ : Match Prediction
Host Sri Lanka will be looking to continue their winning ways when they take on New Zealand in the opening match of the T20I series played at Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium in Dambulla on Saturday. Under new head coach Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka has put together a number of good results across all formats. Captain Charith Asalanka will be hoping that the side can deliver a clinical performance with bat and ball in this fixture.
On the other hand, New Zealand will be making their return to the T20 format after almost five months. Interim captain Mitchell Santner will be hoping that the side can adjust to the conditions and put on a decent show against Islanders.
Based on current form, Host Sri Lanka will be favorites to win their match against New Zealand. With likes of Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis and Wanindu Hasaranga showing excellent form this season, the team management will be hoping that the side can deliver a strong show in this home fixture. Expect Sri Lanka to beat New Zealand and go 1-0 up in the T20I series.
Scenario 1
Sri Lanka win the toss and opt to bowl first
Powerplay: 40-50
New Zealand: 145-165
Sri Lanka win the match
Scenario 2
New Zealand win the toss and opt to bowl first
Powerplay: 45-55
Sri Lanka: 180-200
Sri Lanka win the match