In a surprising turn of events, the Sri Lankan cricket team won the 3-match ODI series against New Zealand. The hosts comprehensively won the first two encounters. The Asian team won the second match by 3 wickets as rain spoiled the game once again and the match was reduced to 47 overs each side. The classy Sri Lankan wicket-keeper, Kusal Mendis snatched the Man of the Match award once again for his fiery knock of 74 runs off 102 deliveries (not out). Mahesh Theekshana led the Sri Lankan bowling unit as the youngster produced three crucial wickets for only 31 runs at an astonishing strike rate of only 3.38.
Will the Kiwi team save their dignity and prevent their team from whitewash by winning this last encounter? Let’s see and find out together.
Live Streaming Info
Fans can watch NZ Vs Sri live on Tens Sports and A Sports in Pakistan, Sony Sports Network in Sri Lanka, and Willow TV in the USA. This match will be streamed at 2:00 p.m. PST, 2:30 p.m. IST, and 9:00 a.m. GMT.
Team Analysis
The most available asset for the Sri Lankan team in this 3rd T20I is none other than their star player, Kusal Mendis. Mendis is in lethal form and the 29-year-old wicket-keeper is on his way to conquering the player of the Series award. Moreover, Kusal Mendis plays a key role as an opening batter for Sri Lanka in T20Is, often anchoring the innings while maintaining a brisk strike rate. He has scored over 1,600 runs in T20Is (as of 2024), with a strike rate of around 130, including 11 fifties. Mendis is accompanied by Dunith Wellalage, Charith Asalanka, and Sadeera Samarawickrama in the middle-order line-up. Together, these talented stars can form strengthening partnerships which aids immensely in setting up a big total on the scoreboard.
The Sri Lankan bowling line-up deserves special praise for bowling the entire Kiwi squad in the previous two ODI encounters. Maheesh Theekshana and Dilshan Madushanka are in their prime form. This classy duo can generate quick wickets for their team, instilling pressure and ultimately a batting collapse in the opposing squad.
The most obvious deficiency in the Kiwi line-up is the unavailability of their most experienced and talented stars. These include Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, and Daryl Mitchell. The absence of these anchoring stars means a low total for the Kiwi team as youngsters are easily entrapped in pressure situations. Moreover, despite the Kiwi bowlers’ low economy in ODI cricket, a weakness in their attack is the inability to produce wickets. This can be quite costly for the New Zealand team in challenging situations.
Match Insights And Conclusion
Cricket analysts and enthusiasts are criticizing the captaincy of Mitchell Santner as the spinner is often seen choosing rather absurd bowling combinations. However, this parameter will even weigh more heavily in this 3rd expected-to-be rain spoiled-ODI encounter. The key impact players for this match include Charith Asalanka, Pathum Nissanka, Ish Sodhi, and Tim Robinson. If you’d like to watch NZ Vs Sri live, scroll above and click on the link provided.
