NZ vs SL Match No 27th Prediction: There hasn’t been a T20I match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka since September 2019, but the match-up will have major implications for the Super 12 stage of the 2022 World Cup.
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New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Match Prediction
Australia vs England became the third game in Group A to go unresolved on Friday, leaving the group wide open. Sri Lanka, who are placed fifth but could leapfrog all the other sides with a win, play New Zealand on Saturday, October 29 at the SCG.
Toss Prediction in NZ vs SL Match No 27th Prediction
During the World Cup T20, the toss plays an important role in determining the outcome of every game. When it comes to these kinds of big matches, having a good total always comes in handy. We predict that the team who wins the toss will choose to field first.
As well as a comprehensive win over Ireland, Sri Lanka were in the game against Australia for large swathes but were unable to overcome a net run rate decline. Despite a pacer-friendly pitch, Wanindu Hasaranga struggled to hit the right lengths on the worst outing of his T20I career.
In contrast, New Zealand hammered the Aussies in their first T20 World Cup game before seeing their match against Afghanistan called off due to rain. New Zealand is known for raising their game in ICC tournaments and is slowly coming together as a team.
Is Sri Lanka capable of overcoming the injuries it has sustained in the T20 World Cup and reaching the top of Group A? Will the Kiwis reaffirm their position?
Which team will win today’s T20 World Cup match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka?
SCG has produced a decent wicket for batting, with something for both pacers and spinners. New Zealand’s middle order will also try to put pressure on Hasaranga on Saturday after Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis took him for 53 runs in just three overs against Australia.
Sri Lanka might need to employ Maheesh Theekshana on the powerplay after Finn Allen made a splash to start the T20 World Cup. Despite all the injuries, the Lankans’ pace attack looks thin, and the Kiwis will welcome pace on the ball early on.
It will be interesting to see how Sri Lanka’s middle order performs against New Zealand, since most batters appear to be below par. To a certain extent, Charith Asalanka has found his feet, but the batting unit doesn’t look cohesive. Especially against spin, Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Dasun Shanaka haven’t delivered so far. Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi are both excellent operators for the Kiwis.
There could be a difference between the two sides on Saturday, with New Zealand having the bowling resources both upfront and in the middle overs to trouble Sri Lanka’s batters. At the 2022 T20 World Cup, the Black Caps should be able to stay unbeaten unless the Lankans come up with something special.
Prediction: New Zealand to win today’s match against Sri Lanka
