Sri Lanka's long tour of New Zealand nears a close and they will be desperate to get something from the T20s. As the tour has worn on New Zealand have grown stronger and Sri Lanka have struggled to compete.
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka | First T20I | Sunday 3 April 2023 | Eden Park, Auckland | 02:00
To Win Match *betting tba
New Zealand | Tie 25/1 | Sri Lanka
Tom Latham is the designated skipper for this series but will need to find a place in the top order.
Devon Conway and Glenn Phillips are among the players who have left for the IPL.
Will Young gets another shot at T20 cricket thanks to the IPL absences and could front the batting.
Henry Shipley was the star of the ODI series and might be the tormenter of Sri Lanka yet again.
Young batter Lasith Croospulle is given an opportunity to impress but it’s hard to pick where he would bat.
Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka might open the batting together to give Sri Lanka some momentum.
Wanindu Hasaranga might hope to raise his profile once more after missing out an IPL gig.
Dasun Shanaka has seen his white-ball leadership has been questioned and he could use a good result.
Verdict: New Zealand
The Black Caps have been dominant in the longer formats and should still hold the edge here.
