🏏 Cricket World Cup 2023: Match #41: New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 🏏

Rain is having a significant impact on this World Cup and has already defeated numerous teams just by being there! Fortunately, today, there is a fair chance that the match will start on time, because of the improved weather and clear skies.

While Sri Lanka is working really hard to maintain their place in the Champions Trophy, the New Zealand team is fostering their hopes of earning a semifinal spot in this World Cup!

🏏 Cricket World Cup 2023: Match #41: New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 🏏

Kane Williamson and Co. will be back at the Chinnaswamy Stadium to play yet another World Cup match, hoping that it isn't "one of those days" this time around!! 

 Of course, a gap in their itinerary would have helped make sense of things, but the build-up couldn't have been more contrasting for Kusal Mendis's side.

Only a couple of days ago, Sri Lanka lost their first-ever World Cup match to Bangladesh. 

And as if that wasn't enough food for thought in the days to follow, Angelo Mathews's timed-out dismissal, his frustration, and his time-stamped proofs on social media constituted some great political football across mediums. 

Is that the spark the team might need? Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan spoke of how appealing for the time-out and then standing by his decision spurred the "warrior" in him, and Sri Lanka will hope that it's something similar for Mathews, who's also 36 and hasn't had the kind of tournament that he perhaps merits.

Kane Williamson spoke about how it's the first time that the entire available squad is fit, or "fit-ish". Expect Lockie Fergson to come in for Ish Sodhi, who had a hard time against Pakistan. That said, Kyle Jamieson had a long bowl in the nets at New Zealand's optional training on match eve.

Tag Credit: Sutapasima

As per Google's win probability, there is a 77% chance that New Zealand will beat Sri Lanka in this match. As per CricTracker, whoever bats first will win the match.

Tom Latham-led New Zealand will look to stop a four-match losing streak and hope to finish in the top four, while Sri Lanka will look to stop a three-match slide and the end campaign on a high as they aim to qualify for the Champions Trophy.

In the 101 NZ vs SL head to head matches in ODI format so far, New Zealand has the advantage, having won 51 times against Sri Lanka, who have won 41 such encounters with 1 match ending in a tie and 8 in No Result. NZ are unbeaten in the last 7 ODIs against SL. 

Among the 51 wins, New Zealand has won 28 times when batting first and 23 times when chasing, while Sri Lanka has won 23 times when chasing and 18 times when setting a target. Here is a look at the New Zealand vs Sri Lanka head to head stats and top performances:

The Kiwis who started the ICC World Cup 2023 brilliantly with a thumping win against defending champions England (win by 9 wickets) looked all set to dominate the tournament. As it stands now, they are on the verge of getting eliminated if they don’t win this cricket match. They have 8 points from 8 matches and are currently threatened by Pakistan and Afghanistan for the fourth position.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, had a forgettable tournament this year. With just 2 wins for 8 matches, they are sitting at the bottom of the points table along with the Netherlands. They have one thing to play for, pride.

Probable XI: Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson(c), Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham(w), Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Lockie Ferguson, Tim Southee, Trent Boult

Probable XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis(w/c), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka

Team Watch

New Zealand

Kane Williamson spoke about how it's the first time that the entire available squad is fit, or "fit-ish". Expect Lockie Fergson to come in for Ish Sodhi, who had a hard time against Pakistan. That said, Kyle Jamieson had a long bowl in the nets at New Zealand's optional training on match eve.

Tactics & Strategy

New Zealand with just two frontline seamers in their last match, expecting that "spin would be perhaps most threatening." What panned out couldn't be farther from that. Ish Sodhi gave away 44 runs in the four overs he bowled against Pakistan and Rachin Ravindra's part-time spin wasn't even called upon. Even someone in as good a rhythm as Mitchell Santner went at 7 runs per over. It's likely that Lockie Ferguson, who is now fit again, would slot back right in and partner for pace-bowling duties with Trent Boult and Tim .

Sri Lanka

For their last match, Sri Lanka brought in Kusal Perera and Dhananjaya de Silva and are likely to stick with the same combination at what's another high-scoring ground.

Tactics & Strategy

Dilshan Madushanka has been a force with the new ball, picking the second most number of wickets in first Power Play this tournament, but it's in the middle overs that Sri Lanka have let games slip. Their spinners have fared the worst out of all ten teams. And this time around, they will have their work cut out against Rachin Ravindra, who has scored the most runs in the middle overs (11-40) in this edition.

Thank you for the tag.

🖤💙

Did you know?

Average first innings score in ODIs in Bengaluru since 2013 is 321

Only Marco Jansen has more wickets (12) than Madushanka in overs 1-10

The previous game at the venue saw an overall match run-rate of 7.96

NZ have won each of the last seven ODIs against SL and last lost to SL in World Cups in 2011

What they said

"We sort of knew the talent was there, but to come out and repeat and be one of the players of the tournament so far, not only with the bat, but he's also making really valuable contributions with the ball. Yeah, very, very special player and great that he's on our side" - New Zealand captain Kane Williamson is all praise for Rachin Ravindra

"When you look at the bigger picture, we made mistakes in all three departments in most of the games. Our fielding was not up to the mark and whenever we batted, we didn't bowl well" - Sri Lanka Assistant Coach Naveed Nawaz with an honest assessment

NZ batters have been putting the runs on the board pretty frequently. KW was included in the playing XI. He took to scoring like Duck takes to water. Rachin Ravindra became the toast of Chinnaswamy and his name will again be echoed out loud if he gets going today. But NZ's bowlers barring Mitch Santner have slipped under the radar and haven't done much worth noticing. Chinnaswamy is the harsh reality that bowlers come to terms to. It is a batsman's game and every inch of the grandeur in Bengaluru makes you realize that. Flat wicket. Short boundaries. The ball flying around. Fielders are aberrations. Cricket gets reduced to a boxing game where two boxers don't jab at each other but at the punching bag - sadly the bowlers.

12:45 Local Time, 07:15 GMT, 12:45 IST: Imagine 25 crore people at a distance of at least 2000 kms praying for rain in Bengaluru. Persistent rain which washes out this game will come as a blessing for Pakistan. That's exactly what their fans would be praying for. Bengaluru and Rains, never ending love affair. The locals will quietly nod to this as well. NZ fans want a full game. SL fans want two points for the Champions Trophy qualification. Indian fans are hedging their bets. Too many prayers and a few will go unanswered today. But Pakistan are looking for a back door entry. They tried so in 2019 but were pipped right at the door. 2023 might as well mimick 2019 if NZ beat SL.