NZ vs SL 3rd T20 Match Prediction

NZ vs SL Team Previews

New Zealand

Even though the New Zealand team fought hard in the first T20 against Sri Lanka and took the game to a super over, it was not to be their day. They managed to take the game as far as the super-over thanks to late-order heroics by Rachin Ravindra. However, they did not play well in this game and were looking to improve in all the departments of the game. They checked all the boxes in the second match though. After winning the toss they put Sri Lanka into bat. Sri Lanka was bowled out for a modest total of 141 runs.

This was a way below-par total on the batting-friendly surface at Dunedin. The fast bowler Adam Milne was at his fiery best bowling a spell of 5 for 26. This proved to be too hot to handle for the Lankans. The New Zealand opening batsman Tim Seifert then rubbed it in by hitting a scintillating 79 not out from 43 balls to take black caps home easily. Another factor in favor of the Kiwis is that they bat low down the order. Having the top order in prime form, this batting order appears to be even more ominous.

The New Zealand middle order is in the hands of Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham. You can pretty much bet on one of them to come good in any game let alone a series decider. The New Zealand bowling attack was well-tested in the first match of the T20 series. However, they were on the money in the second match in Dunedin. Although the standout bowler was Adam Milne, Ben Lister also bowled well to pick up 2 wickets from his 4 overs. Ish Sodhi has not picked any wickets in the series but has been bowling economically and he can be a game-changer, especially in the middle overs.

Sri Lanka

During their innings in the second T20 international match of the series, Sri Lanka was 122 for 4 in the 16th over. They appeared to be all set to score a total in the excess of 160 runs. But they ended up losing their last 6 wickets for just 19 runs. This middle and lower middle-order collapse were to cost them the match eventually. It might even cost them this T20 series as well. Kusal Perera has appeared to be the most reliable batsman from Sri Lanka in this series. He has scored 53 from 45 balls and 35 from 32 balls in his last two appearances in the series.

The main job of Kusal Perera in the last T20 game will be to hold the Sri Lankan innings together as other more aggressive batters around him can go for big hits. Another batsman the Sri Lankans will rely on for this game is Charith Asalanka. He smashed 67 runs from 41 balls in the first match of the series thereby laying a foundation for a big total of 196 for 5 for Sri Lanka. Asalanka will once again be the batsman to get for the New Zealand bowling attack in this game and they will try to get him early.

The Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka has failed in the first couple of games however, he is an excellent batter and will soon be among the runs. Shanaka was in terrific form against India during the earlier part of the year as he amassed as many as 190 runs in the T20I series. Sri Lanka will be looking for special innings from him to get them home. As far as the Lankan bowling attack is concerned all eyes will be on Wanindu Hasaranga. He is a genuine wicket-taker and capable of turning a game around in a single over. Another bowler to watch out for is Maheesh Theekshana due to his tight line and length bowling.