After dropping their last four games, New Zealand’s chances of making the semi-finals currently seem bleak. With eight points, they remain fourth in the standings, although their NRR has decreased to 0.398 following their loss to Pakistan in their most recent game. If New Zealand wins their next game in Bangalore against Sri Lanka, they still have a chance to advance.
Then, NZ will need to pray that their opponents, Afghanistan and Pakistan, who both have eight points, don’t defeat their rivals by a significant enough margin in their last league games to pass them on NRR. But the prospect of rain remains, and New Zealand’s final match may be rained out. In that case, they would only have nine points and would need to pray that Pakistan and Afghanistan lose their next games to remain on eight.
Sri Lanka is no longer competing in the semi-final. They still have something to aim for, though. They will join host Pakistan in the eight-team ICC Champions Trophy 2025 if they place among the top seven in the current World Cup standings. The Lankans are now ranked eighth, but a victory today might move them up to the top seven.
Their recent bowling performances have been detrimental to them. They haven’t benefited from injuries to important bowlers like Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson, but they will be looking to perform much better against Sri Lanka. Should Ferguson continue to be unfit, the Kiwis may give Kyle Jamieson a try. Being a tall fast bowler, the Lankan hitters could find his pace and bounce troublesome.
Trent Boult will have the responsibility of taking some early wickets. Mitchell Santner and Tim Southee, who bowled effectively in the previous game on this surface, could also bowl well here.
Kane Williamson’s return is one thing that New Zealand can take away from their most recent game. The captain immediately made an impression with a sophisticated 95 off just 79 balls. The bowlers from Sri Lanka will also have to be wary of Rachin Ravindra, who is doing well right now. The gifted young player is currently among the tournament’s top run scorers. In the past few games, Glenn Phillips has begun to establish a rhythm and is making clutch shots.
New Zealand Squads
New Zealand
Kane Williamson (c), Tom Latham (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Mark Chapman, Ish Sodhi/ Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Tim Southee, Devon Conway, Trent Boult
Sri Lanka
The group is counting on captain Kusal Mendis to do well. He had a fantastic start to the competition, but his form has recently declined. It’s time for the gifted batter to grab the lead. Currently leading the squad in runs scored during the World Cup, Sadeera Samarawickrama ought to do well on this field.
Their bowlers, Sri Lankans, have consistently failed them. Their standout player thus far has been Dilshan Madushanka. The fast bowler, who has taken 21 wickets at an average of 22.23, is now the top wicket-taker of the 2023 World Cup. Sadly, all of the other bowlers continue to give up runs and don’t have a strong supporting cast. The likes of Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, and Kasun Rajitha will need to bowl tight lines on this batting beauty of a surface, or they will probably be hauled all over the park.
It is anticipated that rain will cause disruptions to the afternoon’s events during this match. If the game is shortened due to rain, the team that wins the toss will attempt to bowl first because they will have a greater chance of hitting a smaller target.
Rain is predicted to cause delays during the play in the afternoon since it has been pouring in Bengaluru for the past several days. Throughout the day, the sky will generally remain overcast, with a few showers and thunderstorms possible in the afternoon and evening.
Bengaluru’s M.Chinnaswamy Stadium boasts a pitch that is a hitter’s paradise. Seam bowlers have very little lateral movement, and spinners receive no assistance from the pitch.
NZ vs SL Head-to-Head Stats of Last 5 Matches
New Zealand has won four of the last five One-Day Internationals (ODIs), while Sri Lanka won none.