Action now moves to ODI cricket as New Zealand host Sri Lanka in the first match of that series on Sunday. Get our latest expert New Zealand vs Sri Lanka match tips, predictions and picks below.
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 1st ODI Information
- Venue: Basin Reserve
- Date: Sunday, January 5
- Time: 11 am local (10 pm GMT the previous day or 3.30 am IST)
- How to Buy New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 1st ODI Tickets? You can get all the information about this here.
What Have The Two Teams Done Recently?
New Zealand
New Zealand featured in just three ODIs in the entire 2024 of which one game was abandoned due to rain. They lost that series 2-0, the defeat having come at the hands of Sri Lanka.
They are coming off a 2-1 series win over Sri Lanka in the T20Is.
Sri Lanka
Much like New Zealand it was against them only that Sri Lanka played their last ODI series and won it 2-0 back home.
However, unlike New Zealand, Sri Lanka was involved in a crazy amount of ODI cricket in the entire 2024 year. They featured in 16 completed matches and rather stunningly, won 12 and lost just three of them.
This included a 2-0 win over India in a home series.
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Head-to-Head Stats
- Overall New Zealand vs Sri Lanka ODI Head-to-Head: There have been 96 completed ODIs between these two teams before this and New Zealand lead 52-43 on head-to-head with a game having ended in a tie.
- Over the previous 10 ODIs played between these two sides, New Zealand have won eight. The two they lost came in the last two games which were held in Sri Lanka as recently as November last year.
- It’s 30-12 in favour of New Zealand at home.
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 1st ODI Preview & Predictions with Latest Odds*
Sri Lanka’s confidence in this format will stem from how well they have played in ODIs since getting knocked out of the 2023 World Cup so early. Their performance at that World Cup was so poor they didn’t qualify for the Champions Trophy but they have made a remarkable comeback since then.
And that change in fortunes has been down to the improvement in batting stocks with Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka leading the way for the tourists.
They will also welcome the return of Wanindu Hasaranga who has picked up 26 wickets in ODI since that ICC event, with the next best at 15. The challenge for Sri Lanka would be to find seamers who can do the same given the relative lack of assistance for the tweakers in New Zealand.
Things could be quite different for New Zealand right now from how they were a couple of months ago when they toured Sri Lanka.
In the absence of Kane Williamson and Trent Boult, New Zealand has a fairly newish set-up under Mitchell Santner. They do have Daryl Mitchell who has been averaging over 50 with the bat over a two-year period and will hope that Will Young and Rachin Ravindra can provide him with that batting support.
The New Zealand bowling department is reliant on Matt Henry but in Santner they have an astute left-arm spinner even for home conditions. Will O’Rourke and Jacob Duffy would love to carry their respective forms from the other formats into this.
Backing New Zealand to start as favourites here.
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Match Winner
- New Zealand to win: 4/6
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Top Batsman
- Top New Zealand Batter – Daryl Mitchell: 4/1
- Top Sri Lanka Batter – Pathum Nissanka: 10/3
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Top Bowler
- Top New Zealand Bowler – Matt Henry: 3/1
- Top Sri Lanka Bowler – Wanindu Hasaranga: 4/1
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Toss Prediction
- New Zealand to win the toss: 10/11
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Other Predictions
- Team of Top Batter – New Zealand: 8/11
*odds correct at the time of writing.
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Squads
New Zealand ODI Squad:
Sri Lanka ODI Squad:
Charith Asalanka (captain), Avishka Fernando, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Nishan Madushka, Janith Liyanage, Nuwanidu Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Jeffrey Vandersay, Maheesh Theekshana, Asitha Fernando, Chamidu Wickramasinghe, Lahiru Kumara, Mohamed Shiraz, Eshan Malinga
How to Watch New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 1st ODI Live?
This NZ v SL game will be broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network on TV in India with SonyLiv live streaming the event. New Zealand fans can watch it on Sky Sports while in Sri Lanka, this game can be watched with IPTV, Supreme TV, Ten Cricket and Dialog.
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Series Schedule
- 1st T20I: December 28 at Mount Maunganui
- 2nd T20I: December 30 at Mount Maunganui
- 3rd T20I: January 2 at Nelson
- 1st ODI: January 5 at Wellington
- 2nd ODI: January 8 at Hamilton
- 3rd ODI: January 11 at Auckland