Betting Tips

Both teams are looking to grow towards their next T20I assignment. They shared an exciting T20I series earlier this year when they drew one-all in Sri Lanka. The home side have a number of players with strong Super Smash records in New Zealand. They will want to translate that into the international stage and continuing the strong recent results against Sri Lanka.

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Head-to-Head Record

The previous T20I series between New Zealand and Sri Lanka was drawn, which shows the evenly matched nature of these teams. Over the past five T20Is between them, New Zealand have won three times, Sri Lanka have won once and one game was tied, but Sri Lanka won the one-over eliminator.

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Live-streaming and Broadcast

This is the first match of this T20I series between New Zealand and Sri Lanka and is scheduled for Saturday, 28 December 2024 at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui. In India, you can watch this T20I on the FanCode and Sony Liv apps for live-streaming or on the Sony Sports Network for the TV broadcast.

NZ vs SL Team Previews

New Zealand

This is a New Zealand T20I squad looking to build for the future. Leading the team is Mitchell Santner, whose sharp left-arm spin and calm leadership make him a huge asset. Santner has almost 120 T20I wickets and has just over 700 T20I runs.

The batting unit is spearheaded by exciting talents like Tim Robinson and Rachin Ravindra. They bring a combination of boundary-striking and calmness. The dynamism of Mark Chapman and Glenn Phillips bolsters the middle-order. They can play expansive strokes to entertain the crowd while also being strong runners between the wickets.

Phillips also took three wickets in his previous T20I against Sri Lanka. With the bat, he has two T20I centuries and ten T20I half-centuries.

All-rounders Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell provide crucial depth, capable of changing the game with both bat and ball. Mitchell Hay, the wicketkeeper, adds reliability behind the stumps and firepower in the lower order. He currently holds the record for the most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in a T20I innings with six dismissals.

The Black Caps have the dangerous duo of Jacob Duffy and Matt Henry to open with the new ball. They will test the Sri Lankans with seam movement in the first few overs. Youngster Zakary Foulkes rounds out the pace bowling lineup.

After being a recent introduction to the Black Caps T20I squad, he gives the team fresh energy and may be the spark they need to claim wickets. He had a stellar performance against Sri Lanka in the first T20I when New Zealand toured Sri Lanka. He hit 27 runs not out off 16 balls before picking up three wickets with the ball.

New Zealand Expected Playing 11

Sri Lanka

Pathum Nissanka is a solid white-ball opener. The consistent opening batter provides stability and class. He hit a T20I half-century against New Zealand in Sri Lanka. Fellow opener and wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis adds flair with his aggressive strokes. Nissanka has 359 runs and Mendis has 269 runs in their last ten T20I innings.

The experienced Kusal Perera bolsters the top-order. With a number of star batters around him, he will have the freedom to play his shots and send the ball into the crowd. He is the top run-scorer for Sri Lanka in T20Is after surpassing Tillakaratne Dilshan’s record.

Kamindu Mendis and Charith Asalanka lengthen the strength of the powerful Sri Lankan batting lineup. Asalanka’s leadership and ability to dominate the innings will be key to setting a competitive total or chasing a stiff target. He hit an unbeaten 35 runs against the Black caps earlier this year. Left-handed power-hitter Bhanuka Rajapaksa adds more firepower.

All-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga is Sri Lanka’s trump card. The leg-spinner is well-known for his wicket-taking deliveries and late blasting down the batting order. He has 19 wickets in his last ten T20I matches. Spin support comes from leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay and mystery-spinner Maheesh Theekshana.

Matheesha Pathirana’s pace and unique action make him a threat to the New Zealand batters. The right-arm quick has 17 T20I wickets in his last nine games. Nuwan Thushara’s accuracy rounds out the bowling attack. He also has experience from some of the biggest T20 leagues in the world.

Sri Lanka Expected Playing 11

NZ vs SL Toss Prediction

All three tosses of the previous New Zealand vs Sri Lanka T20I series in New Zealand were won by the home side. They elected to bowl first on all three instances. With conditions set to be similar for both sides, both captains may be inclined to bowl first again.

Pitch and Conditions

Pitch conditions should be a set fair for a compelling contest between bat and ball. As with any T20 game, the powerplay will be an important period for both sides. The bowlers will need to capitalise with wickets in the first six overs. Batters will have a strong platform to launch from if they can see out the powerplay. Conditions should be decent for batting. A score in the region of 170 – 180 runs will make this game interesting.

The last time these teams played in New Zealand. It took the Black Caps right until the penultimate ball of the game to chase 183 runs.

Rain is unlikely to feature during the game. There is only a five percent chance of rain on matchday. Overhead conditions will be partly cloudy, warm and humid. There will be a breeze of wind though.

NZ vs SL Betting Tips

Having already played in a tense T20I series in Sri Lanka, both teams will be looking to turn results in their favour. The visitors will need to adapt to a different set of conditions in Australasia compared to what they will be more accustomed to.

The New Zealanders with decent results against their opposition and a strong knowledge of home conditions could be favoured for this opening match.

Bet on New Zealand to win this match.