Christchurch: The first match of the 2-Test cricket series between New Zealand and Sri Lanka will start tomorrow at 3.30 am in Christchurch. The series is crucial for Sri Lanka to qualify for the ICC World Test Championship finals.
The Sri Lankan cricket team led by Dimuth Karunaratne has toured New Zealand to play a series of 2 Tests, 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is. The first match of the Test series will start tomorrow (9th) at 3.30 am in Christchurch. The 2nd Test will be played in Wellington on the 17th. The series is streamed by Amazon Prime.
Sri Lanka have a chance to qualify for the ICC World Test Championship finals to be held in London in June if they win the Test series against New Zealand 2-0. However, Sri Lanka’s chances will depend on the outcome of the 4th Test match between India and Australia to be held in Ahmedabad.
Only if the Indian team fails to defeat Australia in this match, Sri Lanka will have a chance. Despite this, it is believed that winning on New Zealand soil will not be easy for the Sri Lankan team. So far, the Sri Lankan team has played 19 Test matches on New Zealand soil. It has won only two matches. However, this time the Sri Lankan team led by Dimuth Karunaratne has got an extra boost.
The Sri Lankan team has steadily improved under the guidance of former England fast bowler Chris Silverwood, who took over as head coach in April last year. After winning the Test series against Bangladesh 1-0, Sri Lanka then drew the 2-match Test series against Australia and Pakistan 1-1 at home.
Australia qualified for the final of the ICC World Test Championship with a 9-wicket win over India in the 3rd Test in Indore last week. This has increased the confidence of the Sri Lankan team. Silverwood said, “Going to the final of the Test Championship would be unbelievable.
But at the same time we know that we have a great team in front of us, New Zealand, and we have to respect that team. We have to work hard to win and try to earn the right to advance to the finals.”
New Zealand will field the same players that played against England in Wellington recently. Meanwhile, 23-year-old batsman Nishan Madushka and 26-year-old fast bowler Milan Ratnayake have been given a place in the Sri Lankan team. Nishan Madushka recently scored a double century and a double century in 3 matches against England Lions. Due to this, he has been brought into the national test team.
Tim Southee-led New Zealand will face Sri Lanka after recently drawing the Test series against England 1-1. New Zealand won the Wellington Test by one run against England. In this game, the New Zealand team came back strong and defeated the England team after receiving a follow-on.
With this, New Zealand also became the 4th team in the history of Test cricket to win a follow-on. And Tim Southee’s team ended the drought in which they could not win in 7 games in a row. The New Zealand team may look to continue this success in the match against the Sri Lankan team.