The decider, the 2nd One-Day International (ODI), of the 3-match bilateral series between Sri Lanka and New Zealand, is scheduled to be played at Galle International Stadium, Galle, on the 30th of June, 2023, and commences at 10:00 AM Indian Standard Time (IST).
In a rain-affected 29-over game, New Zealand batted first and managed to reach a defendable total of 170/5 with contributions from middle-order batters Melie Kerr (40), Maddy Green (39), and Georgia Plimmer (22). In response, Sri Lanka’s opening pair of Chamari Athapaththu, who remained unbeaten on 108, and Vishmi Gunaratne, who scored her maiden half-century, guided their team to a comfortable 9-wicket victory.
Squads:
Sri Lanka – Chamari Athapaththu (C), Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Anushka Sanjeewani, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Kawya Karvindi, Sugandika Kumari, Inoka Ranaweera, Udeshika Prabodhani, Hansima Karunaratne, Inoshi Fernando, Imesha Dulani, Hasini Perera
New Zealand – Sophie Devine (C), Suzie Bates, Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Eden Carson, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Fran Jonas, Melie Kerr, Leigh Kasperek, Rosemary Mair, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu
Players to watch out:
Vishmi Gunaratne
The 17-year-old opening batter, in 5 ODIs, has scored a total of 84 runs, with 50 of those runs coming in the ongoing series opener. Vishmi, a promising talent, has effectively repaid the trust and support of the management through her match-winning performance.
Kavisha Dilhari
The 22-year-old all-rounder, in 12 ODI outings has scored 239 runs, including the highest of 49*, and has also struck 7 wickets. Kavisha wasn’t required to bat in the opener, however, registering figures of 1/26 has had a good start.
Maddy Green
The 30-year-old batter, in 52 ODI innings has scored 1127 runs, including the highest of 122, and has got her maiden wicket as well. Green had a convincing start to the series contributing valuable 38*(30) late in the innings.
Melie Kerr
The 22-year-old all-rounder, in ODIs, in 49 outings with the bat has scored 1402 runs, including the highest of 232*, and has also struck 77 wickets in 59 bowling outings. Melie had a good start to her series scoring 40 runs, while looked slightly off-color with the ball.
Pitch:
The 22 yards at the venue this summer have looked favorable for scoring runs, in contrast to its usual bowler-friendly nature. It is an evenly balanced track that offers a fair contest between bat and ball, keeping both batters and bowlers equally engaged in the game.
Weather:
Despite the overcast conditions with mostly cloudy skies and moderate winds, a complete game of cricket can be expected as the chances of rain are minimal. The temperature is forecasted to hover around 31°C with a humidity level of 79%.
Fantasy playing XI:
Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Suzie Bates, Maddy Green, Vishmi Gunaratne, Melie Kerr, Sophie Devine, Chamari Athapaththu, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Kavisha Dilhari, Lea Tahuhu, Sugandika Kumari
Match details:
Date – June 30, 2023
Time – 10:00 AM IST
Venue – Galle International Stadium, Galle
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on the Sri Lanka Cricket YouTube channel