The first Twenty20 International (T20I) featuring Sri Lanka vs New Zealand will be contested at P Sara Oval in Colombo on July 8. Sri Lanka clinched the three-match ODI series 2-1 and will seek to start the T20I Series on a high note. Sri Lanka Women won the third ODI by eight wickets (DLS Method) and sealed the series.
Because of the rain, the overs were cut short. In 31 overs, New Zealand Women amassed 127 runs against the loss of two wickets. Suzie Bates bagged 63 runs off 87 balls, while skipper Sophie Devine hit 38 off 48 balls.
The ensuing innings were trimmed to 29 overs each side, and the DLS Method assigned Sri Lanka a target of 196 runs. Sri Lanka shed their first wicket in the very first over, as Lea Tahuhu stripped Vishmi Gunaratne for a duck. In the fourth over, skipper Sophie Devine dismissed Harshitha Samarawickrama for 3(10).
Sri Lanka won by eight wickets thanks to a partnership between Chamari Athapaththu and Nilakshi De Silva. De Silva stayed unscathed on 48 runs off 68 balls, while Athapaththu hammered a historic 140 off 80 balls. Athapaththu fared admirably in every step of the series and was also awarded the Player of the Series.
New Zealand, on the other hand, would be slightly disgruntled with their performance in the previous ODI. They were ecstatic after sealing a devastating 116-run triumph in the second ODI. But they blew it in the decider when it mattered most, allowing the Lankans to take the limerick.
Sri Lanka vs New Zealand, 1st T20I – Match Details, Live Streaming, When and Where To Watch
Date and Time: July 8, Saturday, 10:00 am IST
Venue: P. Saravanamuttu International Cricket Stadium, Colombo
Live Streaming: Sri Lanka Cricket YouTube Channel & Fancode
Sri Lanka vs New Zealand, 1st T20I – Pitch Report, Weather Forecast
The P Sara Oval deck is very similar to the one in Galle Cricket Stadium. The surface is relatively sluggish, and batting becomes extremely difficult as the ball begins to grip. So far, only three WT20I matches have ever been staged at this venue, and only once has a team amassed more than 190 runs.
Furthermore, the average first-inning score is only 135. This Saturday might be a low-scoring thriller, with the teams involved having to bat out of their skins to reach a competitive target.
The prospect of a truncated T20 contest exists because the risk of rain is currently more than 70%. Substantial rainfall is also expected in the days preceding the game. Temperatures will range between 30 and 22 degrees Celsius on match day.
Sri Lanka vs New Zealand, 1st T20I – Probable Playing XIs
Sri Lanka: Hansika Karunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Hasini Perera, Imesha Dulani, Vishmi Gunaratne, Chamari Athapaththu (c), Kawya Kavindi, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Anushka Sanjeevani (Wk), Sugandha Kumari, Udeshika Prabodhani
New Zealand: Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Amelia Kerr, Maddy Green, Georgia Plimmer, Bernadine Bezuidenhout (wk), Leigh Kasperek, Lea Tahuhu, Hannah Rowe, Molly Penfold, and Fran Jonas
Sri Lanka vs New Zealand, 1st T20I – Squads
Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (C), Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Imesha Dulani, Vishmi Gunaratne, Hansima Karunaratne, Kawya Kavindi, Sugandika Kumari, Hasini Perera, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Inoka Ranaweera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk)
New Zealand: Sophie Devine (C), Suzie Bates, Bernadine Bezuidenhout (WK), Eden Carson, Izzy Gaze (WK), Maddy Green (WK), Brooke Halliday, Fran Jonas, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu
Sri Lanka vs New Zealand, 1st T20I – Dream11 Prediction
Wicketkeeper: B Bezuidenhout
Batters: S Bates, H Samarawickrama, M Green, N de Silva
All-rounders: C Atapattu, S Devine, A Kerr
Bowlers: I Ranaweera, L Tahuhu, O Ranasinghe
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