After picking up a historic Test series win in India, New Zealand return to Sri Lanka for a white-ball tour, with Mitchell Santner leading a young Kiwi side.
Ahead of the first T20I, here are our match preview and predictions.
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Santner will be leading a relatively inexperienced side in Sri Lanka, with Henry Nicholls, Michael Bracewell, Glenn Philips, and Lockie Ferguson being the experienced lot for the visitors. Their batting unit will be led by Will Young, Nicholls, Philips, and Bracewell, with the likes of Josh Clarkson, Zakary Foulkes, Dean Foxcroft, and Mark Chapman adding balance to the squad with both bat and ball. There is more experience in the bowling unit, though with Ferguson leading the line-up with the likes of Ish Sodhi, Philips, and Santner also set to play a key role.
The hosts, on the other hand, have a much more experienced and balanced squad, with Avishka Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, and Bhanuka Rajapaksa being the main batters for Sri Lanka. Skipper Charith Asalanka is one of the many all-rounders in the squad and has plenty of bowling options at his disposal in the likes of Matheesha Pathirana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Nuwan Thushara, Jeffrey Vandersay, and Dunity Wellalage.
The Dambulla pitch generally has something for the bowlers, with the seamers set to get purchase under the light while the spinners come into play later on in the innings. The hosts are our favourites to start the series with a win here given their more experienced squad.
Fantasy XI: Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Mark Chapman, Glenn Philips, Charith Asalanka, Dinesh Chandimal, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mitchell Santner, Matheesha Pathirana, Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi
Venue: Dambulla
Winners Prediction: Sri Lanka
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