New Zealand Cricket Team.
(Photo By – Phil Walter/ Getty Images)
New Zealand (NZ) will take on Sri Lanka (SL) in the first ODI at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on January 4. New Zealand are coming off a 2-1 series win against Sri Lanka and would like to continue their winning momentum in the ODI series. This will be a perfect setup for the Kiwis to prepare themselves for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 in February.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka surprisingly are not part of the Champions Trophy 2025 and the team has been left out owing to their dismal show in the 50-over format. But they will take heart from having defeated India at home and this series could act as a blue print for their future prospects with respect to ODIs.
Match Details
| Match | New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, 1st ODI |
| Venue | Basin Reserve, Wellington |
| Date and Time | January 5, 3:30 am IST |
| Live Broadcast & Streaming Details | SonyLIV (app and website) |
Also Check: New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Match Prediction
Pitch Report
Basin Reserve exudes tinge green deck at the start of the match and pacers will relish bowling here. One the deck loses its fur, the batters can unleash their glory shots and leverage the short boundaries. On the weather front, it will be cloudy with heavy winds and chances of rain late in the night.
Head-to-Head Record
| Matches | 105 |
| Won by New Zealand | 52 |
| Won by England | 43 |
| Tied | 2 |
| No Result | 9 |
| First-ever Fixture | June 9, 1979 |
| Most-recent Fixture | November 19, 2024 |
Predicted Playing XIs
Sri Lanka:
Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Charith Asalanka (c), Kamindu Mendis, Dunith Wellalage, Jeffrey Vandersay, Wanindu Hasaranga, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Janith Liyanage
New Zealand:
Will Young, Mark Chapman, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Hay (wk), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner (c), Will O’Rourke, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Nathan Smith/ Michael Bracewell
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