Will Sri Lanka’s spin threat get New Zealand out of the series?

Despite going 1-0 up in the series, Sri Lanka have no time to waste. New Zealand nearly just missed out on the opportunity to turn the game in their favour. With a more settled Dambulla track, the difference between both sides’ forte might not be as contrasting as it was in the opening game. 

Team Overview:

New Zealand were taken off-guard by the turn Dambulla offered in the first game. The ball started turning significantly from the first ball and made life difficult for the Kiwis. Three wickets fell within the powerplay, leaving the batting lineup in pieces with a low score on board. The team’s joint-highest score in the innings was shared between Michael Bracewell and Zakary Foulkes, who was playing his third International game and was added to the team largely for his bowling. He did incredibly well with the ball too. On a pitch where Mitchell Santner took one scalp, he succeeded in ending his spell with three wickets. But that’s all over now and New Zealand should not overthink the defeat especially because of two reasons. One, that they fielded a younger side to put it to the test, and second, they have only 24 hours till the next game.

Though Sri Lanka were able to get over the line with six balls and as many wickets to spare, it was not a walk in the park for them either. They lost both openers under six overs. But a low target and their brilliant bowling in the first inning did not make things get too stressful for them. Kamindu Mendis and Kusal Perera undid New Zealand’s efforts with quick-fire knocks, which were capped by Charith Asalanka’s 35-off-28 balls. The hosts fielded two seamers, Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara who grabbed a couple of wickets each.

Head-to-Head Matches:

New Zealand and Sri Lanka have faced each other in 24 T20Is to date, out of which the Kiwis won 13 games while the Islanders came out ahead in 8 games. Two games ended without a result, while one game ended with the scores leveled. 

Weather and Pitch Report:

There is a strong forecast for rain during the evening in Dambulla, and that could affect Sri Lanka’s spin dominance. In case, the rain does not show up, the spinners will again hold sway. The best time to bat would be with the new ball, and the surface will get trickier as the game progresses. Toss-winning captain would prefer batting first, unless a new strip is brought out for this game. 

Prediction:

Sri Lanka have shown that its nearly impossible to beat them on the surfaces laden with spin devils. Dambulla will again have plenty for the spinners, or at least for the bowlers, and the hosts will look to exploit that fully and bag the series. 

Where to Watch:

Sri Lanka: Supreme TV, Ten Cricket, Sony Sports
New Zealand: Sky Sports
Pakistan: Tapmad
India: Sony Sports Network, FanCode App
United Kingdom: TNT Sports
Asia: Sony Liv