Mitchell Santner To Captain New Zealand Vs SL: Spin all-rounder Mitchell Santnr will captain the New Zealand Cricket Team for the upcoming white-ball tour to Sri Lanka, which will consist of a two-match T20I series and a three-match ODI series.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has announced their squad for the tour to Sri Lanka. They will tour the island nation immediately after the ongoing Test series against India ends. The T20I series will commence on November 9, just days after the third and final Test vs India.
The two T20Is will be played in the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Dambulla, the site of the 2024 Women’s Asia Cup, on November 9 and 10. The first ODI will be played there as well. The second and third ODI will be played in Kandy’s Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. They will be played on November 13, 17, and 19.
This will be the Kiwis’ first limited-overs series since Kane Williamson relinquished captaincy in the white-ball formats following the side’s disappointing run in the 224 T20 World Cup in the US and the West Indies, which saw them being eliminated in the group stage itself.
Mitchell Santner To Captain New Zealand Vs SL
Mind you, Santner has only been named the interim captain in T20Is and ODIs as NZC will announce a permanent skipper following the Sri Lanka tour. In a statement released by the board, they had this to say,
“Santner has been named as interim captain for the tour with a decision on the long-term ODI and T20I captains to be confirmed in the New Zealand home summer.”
This will not be the first Sri Lanka vs New Zealand tour this year. Just last month, the BlackCaps toured the Asian island for a two-match Test series, losing both matches to the Lankan Lions. This was right before their ongoing tour to India.
Several players from the India series have been rested for the tour to Sri Lanka. Devon Conway, Tim Southee, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Blundell, Tom Latham, and Will O’Rourke are eight players who are in the New Zealand squad against India but will not be in the side against the Lankans. These names are rested for the three-match Test series against England, whom New Zealand will host later this year.
In the announced squad are all-rounder Nathan Smith, who was named New Zealand Domestic Player of the Year back in March, and wicketkeeper Mitch Hay. These two are expected to make their national team debut.
This is the 15-man squad of the New Zealand Cricket Team for the tour to Sri Lanka:
Mitchell Santner (C), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Glenn Phillips, Nathan Smith, Zak Foulkes, Dean Foxcroft, Mitch Hay (wk), Henry Nicholls, Ish Sodhi, Tim Robinson, Lockie Ferguson, Will Young
New Zealand is currently taking on India in a three-match Test series. In the first match played in Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium, they shocked the world and defeated the hosts, thus winning their first Test match in India since 1988. The second India vs New Zealand Test will be played in the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune from October 24 to 28.
Kamindu Mendis Levels Don Bradman: Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis reached the incredible feat of becoming the fastest batter to reach 1000 runs in Red ball cricket since 1949. He completed this in his 13th Test which makes him the third fastest in the history of the game. He shares this record with the legendary Don Bradman. Only Herbert Sutcliffe and Sir Everton Weekes are ahead of both.
Sri Lanka Cricket shared this moment on their X handle
“Kamindu Mendis joins an elite club! Reaching 1000 Test runs in just his 13th innings, he now shares this incredible feat with the legendary Don Bradman. A phenomenal feat, making him the third-fastest ever and the quickest since 1949! What a star!”
Kamindu Mendis joins an elite club! 💫
Reaching 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ Test runs in just his 13th innings, he now shares this incredible feat with the legendary Don Bradman. 🤩
A phenomenal feat, making him the third-fastest ever and the quickest since 1949! What a star!#SLvNZ… pic.twitter.com/8vLBoKECs2
Kamindu Mendis Levels Don Bradman In A Unique Record, Sri Lanka Crosses 600
Mendis also set another record becoming the first cricketer to score 8 consecutive Test fifties since their debut.
Mendis scored a gigantic Ton (182 not out in 250 balls) and Sri Lanka declared after setting a monumental 602-run target before declaring the first innings against New Zealand. Apart from Mendis, Kusal Mendis (106 n.o, in 149 balls), and Dinesh Chandimal (116 in 208 balls) were also major contributors to this score. At Stumps, New Zealand already lost 2 wickets while adding 22 runs.
Sri Lanka is leading the 2-Test series by winning the first one by 63 runs.
Sri Lanka Tour of New Zealand 2023 is set to face the in-form hosts in their final attempt to keep their World Cup qualification hopes alive.
In order to have any chance of securing direct qualification, Sri Lanka must secure a win. However, it’s important to note that they will also need other results to go their way. Let’s hope for the best for the Sri Lankan team!
Mark your calendars for the Sri Lanka Tour of New Zealand 2023, which is scheduled to begin on Thursday, March 9, 2023. New Zealand will be hosting this exciting cricket series, which will include 2 Test matches, 3 ODIs, and 3 T20s, all taking place in March and April 2023. The final match of the Bilateral series between New Zealand and Sri Lanka will be played on April 8 at a location to be confirmed. Don’t miss out on the action-packed matches!
The Sri Lanka Tour of New Zealand 2023 is a part of the Future Tour Programs (FTP) announced by the International Cricket Council in 2009. This international Bilateral series will be hosted by New Zealand and will begin on March 9, 2023. The first Test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka will take place at Hagley Oval, Christchurch on March 9, 2023, starting at 00:00 local time. Get ready for an exciting cricket season!
Image Source:
icc-cricket.com
Sri Lanka Tour of New Zealand 2023 Schedule, Time & Table
Date
Match Details
Time
Mar 04, Sat – Mar 05, Sun
NZ vs SL XI, 2-day Warm-up Match Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln Match drawn
3:30 AM (Mar 04) 10:00 PM GMT (Mar 03) / 10:00 AM LOCAL
Mar 09, Thu – Mar 13, Mon
NZ vs SL, 1st Test Hagley Oval, Christchurch NZ won by 2 wkts
3:30 AM (Mar 09) 10:00 PM GMT (Mar 08) / 11:00 AM LOCAL
Mar 17, Fri – Mar 21, Tue
NZ vs SL, 2nd Test Basin Reserve, Wellington NZ won by an innings and 58 runs
3:30 AM (Mar 17) 10:00 PM GMT (Mar 16) / 11:00 AM LOCAL
Mar 25, Sat
NZ vs SL, 1st ODI Eden Park, Auckland NZ won by 198 runs
6:30 AM 01:00 AM GMT / 02:00 PM LOCAL
Mar 28, Tue
NZ vs SL, 2nd ODI Hagley Oval, Christchurch Match abandoned without a ball being bowled due to rain (no toss)
6:30 AM 01:00 AM GMT / 02:00 PM LOCAL
Mar 31, Fri
NZ vs SL, 3rd ODI Seddon Park, Hamilton
6:30 AM 01:00 AM GMT / 02:00 PM LOCAL
Apr 02, Sun
NZ vs SL, 1st T20I Eden Park, Auckland
5:30 AM 12:00 AM GMT / 01:00 PM LOCAL
Apr 05, Wed
NZ vs SL, 2nd T20I University Oval, Dunedin
5:30 AM 12:00 AM GMT / 01:00 PM LOCAL
Apr 08, Sat
NZ vs SL, 3rd T20I John Davies Oval, Queenstown
5:30 AM 12:00 AM GMT / 01:00 PM LOCAL
Big Picture Recap
Although the second ODI in Christchurch was rained out, it had minimal impact on the grander scheme of things, particularly in terms of the World Cup Super League. Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand 2023, While it may have been frustrating for both sets of players, it did not significantly affect the league standings.
Image Source: Twitter
Although Sri Lanka was docked a Super League point for a slow over-rate in the first ODI, they still have the same equation to win the game on Friday and force South Africa and Ireland to win their remaining games this World Cup cycle. Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand 2023, If both teams slip up, which is unlikely, Sri Lanka may have a chance to sneak into the final automatic qualification spots, and the points shared from the previous game do not change this scenario.
Before Sri Lanka can even consider the distant possibility of qualifying, they must first defeat New Zealand in Hamilton, a ground where the hosts have won 10 of their last 12 completed ODIs since 2014. Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand 2023, However, Sri Lanka is one of the two teams to have beaten the hosts during that period. It is worth noting that the vintage Sri Lankan line-up with a top order stacked with modern-day greats such as Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, and Mahela Jayawardene was responsible for that victory.
The current Sri Lankan team may not have the same level of experience as their predecessors, but they are still a strong team. Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand 2023, They have even managed to beat Australia and South Africa in recent times, although only on their home turf. Therefore, facing off against a New Zealand team without some of their key players should have made for an exciting and competitive match, regardless of the location. However, the outcome of the first ODI was surprisingly one-sided, which was unexpected given the circumstances.
Image Source: Twitter
Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand 2023. It has been almost a week since the first match, and due to the second match being washed out, the visiting team has had additional time to dwell on their poor performance in Auckland.
As the Sri Lanka Tour of New Zealand 2023 series comes to a close, New Zealand will once again have several players vying for spots on the World Cup team. On the other hand, Sri Lanka’s recent performances have not been up to par. While their chances of qualifying may not be entirely within their control, it would be beneficial if they could at least give themselves a fighting chance.
Sri Lanka Tour of New Zealand 2023 : Form Guide
Last five completed matches; most recent first
New Zealand – W L L L W
Sri Lanka – L L L L W
In The Spotlight: Chad Bowes & Dhananjaya de Silva
After waiting patiently for his chance, Chad Bowes finally made his international debut at the age of 30 during the first ODI. Although his time at the crease was short, he appeared to be comfortable with his game. However, his primary position is at the top of the order, which is not a top priority for the hosts before the World Cup.
Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand 2023, Nevertheless, with plenty of white-ball cricket to be played before the tournament, a strong performance from Bowes on Friday could certainly improve his chances of being considered by the selectors.
Dhananjaya de Silva’s career has been somewhat disappointing, with his potential remaining largely unfulfilled. While he has scored 3006 runs at an average of 38.53 in Tests, he has not performed as well in ODIs, where he averages just 26.28 and strikes at 78. However, he has proven to be a useful allrounder in T20Is, with his speedy off-breaks often being the key factor in his inclusion. Despite his shortcomings, his omission from the first one-dayer caused a minor social media furore, highlighting how highly he is regarded. If Sri Lanka wants to build momentum leading up to the World Cup, Dhananjaya and others will need to start living up to the hype.
Team News
For the second game, Henry Nicholls and Mark Chapman are expected to replace Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips, who are both headed to the IPL. These two changes are likely to remain.
New Zealand (probable):
Henry Nicholls,
Chad Bowes,
Will Young,
Daryl Mitchell,
Tom Latham (C, Wk),
Mark Chapman,
Rachin Ravindra,
Henry Shipley,
Matt Henry,
Ish Sodhi,
Blair Tickner,
In the first ODI, Dasun Shanaka and Chamika Karunaratne performed well with the ball, which may prompt Sri Lanka to bolster their batting by replacing the expensive Dilshan Madushanka with Dhananjaya.
Sri Lanka (possible):
Pathum Nissanka,
Nuwanidu Fernando,
Kusal Mendis (wk),
Angelo Mathews,
Charith Asalanka,
Dasun Shanaka (c),
Dhananjaya de Silva,
Chamika Karunaratne,
Wanindu Hasaranga,
Kasun Rajitha,
Lahiru Kumara,
Stats & Trivia
New Zealand have won their last seven completed ODIs at Seddon Park.
Sri Lanka last won & ODI in New Zealand in 2015.
Mathews is the only player from that game in the current squad.
Barring any last-minute fixture changes, this is set to be the final bilateral ODI for Sri Lanka ahead of October’s World Cup.
