The Sri Lanka vs New Zealand first One Day International (ODI) match was held on September 1, 2019, at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. It was the first match of the three-match ODI series between the two teams.
SATURDAY, 25 MARCH 2023
TIME: 8:00 PM ET
TIME: 1:00 AM GMT
New Zealand won the toss and elected to field first, which was a surprising decision given that the pitch was expected to favour the batsmen. Sri Lanka got off to a good start, as their openers put on a solid partnership of 111 runs. Avishka Fernando was the standout performer for Sri Lanka, as he scored his maiden ODI century and ended up with a score of 104 runs.
However, Sri Lanka lost wickets at regular intervals after the opening partnership, which prevented them from building any momentum. The New Zealand bowlers were able to pick up wickets at crucial moments, which prevented Sri Lanka from setting a bigger target.
Sri Lanka eventually finished their innings on 267-7, which was a decent score but one that could have been higher if they had managed to keep wickets in hand towards the end of their innings. Matt Henry and Mitchell Santner were the pick of the New Zealand bowlers, as they picked up two wickets each.
In their innings, New Zealand got off to a shaky start, as they lost their first three wickets for just 42 runs. However, Ross Taylor and Tom Latham then put on a strong partnership for the fourth wicket, which helped to stabilise the New Zealand innings.
Taylor was the standout performer for New Zealand, as he scored a brilliant century to lead his team to victory. He was well-supported by James Neesham, who scored a quickfire 47 runs to help New Zealand cross the finish line with four wickets and ten balls to spare.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers struggled to make an impact on the New Zealand batsmen, as they lacked the discipline and accuracy required to succeed in ODI cricket. Lasith Malinga was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers, as he picked up three wickets, but he was unable to prevent New Zealand from scoring runs.
The match was significant for several reasons. Firstly, it highlighted the importance of partnerships in ODI cricket. Sri Lanka got off to a good start, but they were unable to build any big partnerships after the opening stand. New Zealand, on the other hand, were able to build partnerships throughout their innings, which helped them to chase down the target with relative ease.
Secondly, the match highlighted the importance of disciplined and accurate bowling in ODI cricket. Sri Lanka’s bowlers were unable to hit the right areas consistently, which allowed the New Zealand batsmen to score runs freely. New Zealand’s bowlers, on the other hand, were able to pick up wickets at crucial moments, which prevented Sri Lanka from setting a bigger target.
Lastly, the match highlighted the importance of adapting to different conditions in ODI cricket. New Zealand’s decision to field first was surprising, but it turned out to be a good decision as they were able to restrict Sri Lanka to a decent total. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, were unable to adapt to the conditions in the second innings, as they were unable to pick up wickets at crucial moments.
In conclusion, the first ODI match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand was an exciting affair, with both teams putting in some strong performances. However, New Zealand were able to come out on top, thanks to their disciplined bowling and strong partnerships with the bat. Sri Lanka will need to improve in these areas if they are to win the remaining two matches of the series.