The stage is set for a thrilling encounter as Suzie Bates led New Zealand take on Chamari Athapaththu led Sri Lanka in the second ODI of the three match ODI series, as part of Sri Lanka’s tour of New Zealand, on 7th March 2025. The match scheduled to start at 3:30 AM onwards, will be played at Saxton Oval.
The second ODI will be a crucial one, especially after the first match of the series ended without a result due as rain played a spoilsport. The match was abandoned with Sri Lanka scoring 147 runs, thanks in large part to Harshitha Samarawickrama’s unbeaten 66.
Squads:
New Zealand women’s cricket team
Emma McLeod, Georgia Plimmer, Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hannah Rowe, Jess Kerr, Suzie Bates (C), Izzy Gaze (WK), Polly Inglis (WK), Bree Illing, Eden Carson, Fran Jonas
Sri Lanka women’s cricket team
Harshitha Samarawickrama, Imesha Dulani, Manudi Nanayakkara, Nilakshika Silva, Vishmi Gunarathne, Chamari Athapaththu (C), Chethana Vimukthi, Kavisha Dilhari, Rashmika Sewwandi, Anushka Sanjeewani (WK), Kaushini Nuthyangana (WK), Achini Kulasuriya, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Sachini Nisansala, Sugandika Kumari, Udeshika Prabodhani
Players to watch out:
Georgia Plimmer
The 21-year-old middle order batter has already shown promise in her young career. She has scored 256 runs in 21 ODI innings and 396 runs in 30 T20I innings. Plimmer’s past couple of performances suggest that she has a liking for Sri Lankan bowling, as she scored 73 runs in the first warm-up match between the two teams. Previously, she won the Player of the Match in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup for her 53 off 44 against Sri Lanka.
Fran Jonas
The 20-year-old slow left-arm orthodox stepped in as replacement for the injured Hayley Jensen. She has scalped 17 wickets in 24 ODI innings and 30 wickets in 38 T20I innings. In the New Zealand Women’s One Day Competition 2024-25, she was 15th leading wicket-taker, claiming 10 wickets in just 9 matches.
Vishmi Gunarathne
The 19-year-old right-handed batter has made a name for herself in international cricket with 401 runs in 18 ODI innings which includes a century and 748 runs in 47 T20I matches. She had a good run in Women’s Asia Cup 2024, where she delivered two impressive performances, a match winning 51(48) against Bangladesh and an unbeaten 39 in the semi-finals against Thailand. She scored half-centuries in both of the warm-up matches preceding the series. In the abandoned first ODI, she had scored 30 runs off 48 balls.
Kavisha Dilhari
The 24-year-old spin bowling all-rounder has been a valuable asset for Sri Lanka. In ODIs, she has scored 482 runs in 23 innings, also adding 28 wickets to her name. Her record is impressive in T20Is as well, amassing 522 runs in 50 innings alongside claiming 51 wickets. In the pre-series warm-up matches, she scored 48(70) in the first match and took one wicket in the second.
Pitch:
The center wicket at Saxton Oval offers a balanced playing surface that slightly favors the bowlers. While it is conducive for batting, the average score in the 210s suggests there’s assistance that bowlers, particularly pacers, can exploit.
Weather:
The weather at Stoke, Nelson is expected to be partly cloudy with a temperature of 19 degrees Celsius. The precipitation chance is extremely low at 10%, with a humidity level of 71%. Winds will be moderate at 14 km/h, making for a pleasant day of cricket.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Maddy Green, Chamari Athapaththu, Georgia Plimmer, Suzie Bates, Kavisha Dilhari, Brooke Halliday, Jess Kerr, Hannah Rowe, Eden Carson
Match details:
Date – March 7, 2025
Time – 3:30 AM IST
Venue – Saxton Oval, Nelson
Broadcast – Catch all the action from the Sri Lanka Women Tour of New Zealand, 2025 on FanCode.
Loves all things female cricket