Sri Lanka (w)
New Zealand (w)
On July 8, 2023, the Sri Lanka Women's Cricket Team will host the New Zealand Women's Cricket Team for the first T20I match at P Sara Oval. This encounter comes after an exciting ODI series, which saw Sri Lanka claim a 2-1 victory over the Kiwis, reversing the trends of past encounters. Despite their victory in the ODIs, Sri Lanka Women’s team will face a stiff challenge in the T20I series given their previous track record against the Black Caps, having lost all their past ten T20I meetings.
While Sri Lanka has momentum on their side from the ODI series victory, it’s important to remember that the T20 format is a different ball game altogether. Sri Lanka’s women have shown tremendous improvement over the past few matches, which is very encouraging. New Zealand, on the other hand, known for their aggressive and dynamic playing style in the T20 format, will be looking to bounce back from their ODI series defeat.
In the last five T20I encounters between these teams, New Zealand Women have been victorious on all five occasions. This dominance, coupled with Sri Lanka's winless record against New Zealand in T20Is, adds an extra layer of intrigue to the upcoming match. The cricket betting sites have released odds for this T20I series on their platforms.
Sri Lanka (w)New Zealand (w)Following their recent ODI series win, Sri Lanka Women’s team will be brimming with confidence. With Chamari Athapaththu leading from the front and an impressive supporting cast, they look prepared to break their winless streak in T20Is against New Zealand. However, the team's T20 form remains a concern, and they will need to step up their game to challenge the Kiwis.
Sri Lanka are likely to go with the winning combination from the ODI series.
Predicted Lineup: Chamari Athapaththu (C), Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Madavi, Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Anushka Sanjeewani (WK), Oshadi Ranasinghe, Sugandika Kumari, Inoka Ranaweera, Kawya Kavindi, Udeshika Prabodhani.
New Zealand Women’s team, captained by Sophie Devine, will be eager to prove their worth in the T20 format following their ODI series loss. With world-class players like Suzie Bates, Amelia Kerr, and Devine herself, the team has ample firepower to turn things around. The bowling line-up, led by Lea Tahuhu and Fran Jonas, will also play a crucial role in their game plan.
New Zealand will go with their strongest XI with a lot dependent on Suzie Bates.
Predicted Lineup: Suzie Bates, Bernadine Bezuidenhout (WK), Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (C), Maddy Green, Georgia Plimmer, Brooke Halliday, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson, Fran Jonas.
While Sri Lanka has shown improvement in their game, given the past record and the difference in the strength of both the teams, New Zealand are the clear favourites going into the first T20I. However, cricket is a game of uncertainties, and if Sri Lanka can capitalize on their ODI momentum and play aggressively, they have a shot at winning their first-ever T20I against New Zealand. We predict a win for Sri Lanka as they are a team in form and home conditions might favour them.
