Betting Tips

These are two competitive teams with plenty of match-winners on both sides. The Sri Lankans have continually struggled to adapt to swinging and seaming conditions in the Trans-Tasman. Their batters will need to come up with better batting plans to counter the threat of New Zealand’s seam bowlers. The home side will need to continue their good work for another favourable result.

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Head-to-Head Record

New Zealand have been superb in their home conditions against Sri Lanka over the years. The last time New Zealand lost an ODI series to Sri Lanka in New Zealand takes us all the way back to the five-match ODI series in 2000-01. The home side once again started in convincing fashion.

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Live-streaming and Broadcast

In India, the places to find the action will be the Sony Sports Ten 5 TV channel and both SonyLiv and FanCode apps with live-streaming. This third ODI between New Zealand and Sri Lanka will be played on Saturday, 11 January 2025 at Eden Park, Auckland.

NZ vs SL Team Previews

New Zealand

Opening the batting are Will Young and Rachin Ravindra who offer stability and attacking options. Both have the talent and temperament to play aggressively while giving the rest of the lineup the platform to play their shots.

Star left-handed batter Mark Chapman and the dependable Daryl Mitchell provide flexibility and power in the middle. Ravindra and Chapman both hit half-centuries in the second ODI. Wicketkeeper-batter Tom Latham adds calmness to the batting order in the middle overs. The left-hander has 4100 ODI runs.

Explosive batter Glenn Phillips adds flair with his innovative shot-making and sharp fielding. He will be important to accelerate the run rate in the death overs. The all-rounder has almost 800 ODI runs and 13 ODI wickets. Skipper and all-rounder Mitchell Santner leads the spin department while contributing with the bat. Santner has two five-wicket hauls in ODIs.

Seam-bowling all-rounder Nathan Smith bolsters the overall lineup too with his depth as a batter and bowler.

The pace trio of Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy and promising newcomer Will O’Rourke ensures New Zealand has firepower to challenge any opposition. The seam bowlers will be Sri Lanka’s biggest threat. O’Rourke took three wickets in his previous match, while Duffy took two in the same match.

New Zealand Expected Playing 11

Sri Lanka

Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando will be key in the powerplay. If they can get the team off to a rollicking start, they will have the home side thinking about their bowling plans from the beginning. Nissanka has an ODI batting high score of 210 not out from February 2024.

Fernando has four ODI centuries. Kusal Mendis is the team's designated wicketkeeper. Mendis has the talent to rotate strike at will and find the boundary when needed.

Kamindu Mendis and skipper Charith Asalanka anchor the middle order. The duo will have to withstand pressure while putting the pressure back on the New Zealanders. Mendis was particularly important in the previous game with 64 runs.

The Sri Lankan captain has three ODI centuries in his career. Janith Liyanage and Chamindu Wickramasinghe bolster the lineup with their all-round skills.

The bowling unit is primarily led by its spin pair of Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana. Theekshana topped the wicket-takers list in the second ODI with four wickets. Hasaranga added two wickets of his own in that game.

Hasaranga’s leg-spin wizardry and Theekshana’s mystery deliveries are well-complemented by the pace of Eshan Malinga and Asitha Fernando. Fernando will need to be the main wicket-taker with the seaming new ball.

Sri Lanka Expected Playing 11

NZ vs SL Toss Prediction

Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bowl first when the teams last met at Eden Park. Both teams may want to give their seam bowlers the best chance of taking wickets with the new ball.

Pitch and Conditions

Eden Park in Auckland is known for its relatively short boundaries. It is a relatively high-scoring venue in day/night ODIs because of that. The pitch generally offers good bounce and pace early on. The seamers will have early assistance with the swinging and seaming new ball inside the powerplay. New Zealand scored 274 all out in 49.3 overs in their first innings of the previous ODI against Sri Lanka in Auckland.

The weather on matchday in Auckland is set up for a beautiful day of cricket. The day will be mostly sunny combined with warm and humid temperatures. There is no chance of rain on the day.

NZ vs SL Betting Tips

New Zealand in their own conditions have been nearly unplayable for Sri Lanka over more than two decades. They are heavy favourites to win the final ODI of the series. Their seam bowling unit is their biggest strength.

Bet on New Zealand to win this match.