Sri Lanka Women vs New Zealand Women, SLW vs NZW, Today Match Prediction

slw vs nzw Match Prediction & Analysis

Sri Lanka Women delivered a bloody blow to New Zealand Women in the first game of the three-match ODI series. They defeated the visitors by 9 wickets, their first-ever win against the Kiwis. The Lankan girls will look to continue with the same momentum and grab the series 2-0. New Zealand Women would look to make a strong comeback and level the series in this game.  

Sri Lanka Women haven't done well against New Zealand Women, barring the last win. They have been inconsistent in ODI cricket, with just three wins in the last 15 games. The New Zealanders have a very strong team and will come hard at the Lankans in this game. Both sides have high stakes, and we expect a close contest.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Sri Lanka Women Preview

Chamari Athapaththu led from the front to guide her side to a 9-wicket win in the rain-curtailed game. It was their biggest win by wickets against a top-ranked side. The Sri Lankan skipper shall like her players to draw inspiration from this win. However, she will also be worried as the side has been inconsistent in the last couple of years and faces a tough opponent.  

Chamari Athapaththu hit a hundred in the last game and would like to deliver a good start alongside Vishmi Gunaratne. Harshitha Samarawickrama must anchor the innings in the middle order and add runs with Nilakshi de Silva and Anushka Sanjeewani. The side enjoys depth in the batting and shall expect runs from Kavisha Dilhari and Oshadi Ranasinghe.  

They bowled well in the last game and didn't allow the Kiwi batters to free their arms. Oshadi Ranasinghe and Udeshika Prabodhani must get early breakthroughs to put the side in a strong position. Sugandika Kumari and Kavisha Dilhari must use the conditions to their advantage. The side will also need a strong show from Inoka Ranaweera in the supporting role.

Sri Lanka Women Predicted Playing XI:

Chamari Athapaththu (c), Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshi de Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Kavisha Dilhari, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Sugandika Kumari, Inoka Ranaweera, Udeshika Prabodhani, Hansima Karunaratne

New Zealand Women Preview

Sophie Devine would look to get over the loss in the last game. It was a bad day in the office for an otherwise strong side. They failed to push the scoring rate and paid the price for poor bowling efforts. Devine will look for a determined fightback from her players in this game as they strive to level the series.  

Bernadine Bezuidenhout and Suzie Bates looked a bit rusty in the last game, and both these players will look to lay a strong platform. Sophie Devine must play well in the middle order with Amelia Kerr and Maddy Green. Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, and Brooke Halliday add solidity to this line-up down the order.    

They need to come up with a better bowling effort in this game. Lea Tahuhu and Devine will hunt for early wickets to put the hosts on the back foot. Frans Jonas and Eden Carson must play a big role in the middle overs. The side will also expect good spaces from Bates, Kerr, and Hannah Rowe.

New Zealand Women Predicted Playing XI:

Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Bernadine Bezuidenhout (wk), Melie Kerr, Maddy Green, Georgia Plimmer, Brooke Halliday, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson, Fran Jonas

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

The weather forecast for Galle isn't encouraging, as we will witness an overcast sky. It is a flat wicket, and we expect a high-scoring game as batters can play their strokes on the up. The side batting first shall need to aim at a score of 250 runs under these conditions.

Venue Details

Galle International Stadium, Galle, has seen batters do well as the ball comes to the bat nicely, allowing them to play their strokes. The wicket doesn't have much for the fast bowlers, but like all other sub-continental tracks, spinners enjoy bowling on this track as the ball turns sharply.

Toss: To Bat

The wicket was good to bat on in the last game. We expect a similar surface here, and the conditions will be difficult for chasing in the second innings when spinners get to turn the ball. The side winning the toss in this game would have little hesitation in opting to bat first.