Saxton Oval last hosted an international game in 2023, when New Zealand hosted Bangladesh for an ODI game. Before that game, the venuepreviously saw action all the way back in 2019. That’s also when a T20I was played here. Coming into this dead rubber of a game, both teams will find Saxton Oval somewhat more unwelcoming than they would fancy. Sri Lanka, more so.
They have not found much to write home about on this tour so far. They have not been impressive with the ball and downright terrible with the bat. For the majority of the first T20I, Sri Lanka displayed flashes of promise and tried to make the Kiwis work hard to get back at them. The visitors went off to blasting starts in both innings but failed to capitalize on them in the death when it mattered more. This opened the opportunity for the hosts to make the most of the crucial time. The second game presented the Islanders with even fewer chances, making them leave the venue with nothing but bad memories and tough lessons.
Team Overview:
What a series is Jacob Duffy having! Before this series, he only had 11 T20I wickets in fourteen innings. Two games in, and he added another seven to his wickets tally. More importantly, his wickets teemed with impact. In the first T20I, he grabbed three wickets in an over and managed to trigger a collapse so lethal that it destroyed all the chances Sri Lanka had to win the game.
Much to Mitchell Santner’s glee, his wicket-keeper batter, Mitchell Hay, displayed promise disguised as aggression in his late-innings cameo in the last game. But Santner would not want to look away from the fact his batters could do with more stability. In the second T20I, there was a mini-collapse, that could have been fatal, had Hay not stepped in to play the way he did.
Sri Lanka’s top-order has been the only positive in this series. Barring the top-three batters, the remaining team scored 21 in the first game and 36 in the second. This very distinctly shows the problem which has cost them the series. Although the bowlers too have been miles away from their usual best, the main blame lies with how the side has batted. Even the top three, who accumulated the majority of the runs for Sri Lanka, did so at a very slow rate. As a result, the Kiwis found it easier to dominate them.
Head-to-Head Matches:
In the 27 T20I games both sides have played against each other, New Zealand have double the number of victories Sri Lanka have. With eight wins, Sri Lanka are way behind the Kiwis when it comes to head-to-head numbers.
Weather and Pitch Report:
Saxton Oval has only ever hosted two T20 Internationals. And in both games, the team batting first, which incidentally happened to be New Zealand, won the game. The views at the ground are straight out of an art gallery. There’s greenery and mountains in the background, and the weather at this time of the year adds blue to the scenery as well. It is going to be cloudy and windy at the venue but expect the weather to stay dry. Spinners will be a touch more useful than pacers, especially in the middle overs. Although the boundaries are not too big, timing the ball will be an issue that could frustrate the batters.
Prediction:
New Zealand are on a roll and there is nothing between them and a clean sweep at this point.
Where to Watch:
New Zealand: TVNZ1, Sports Nation, and The ACC
Sri Lanka: Dialog TV
Pakistan: Tapmad
India: Sony Sports, Sony LIV
UK: TNT Sports
Australia Kayo Sports
