New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 2nd ODI Prediction

NZ Team News

Wicket-keeper Tim Seifert made his New Zealand ODI debut in the first match of the three-game series with Tom Latham being rested. Matt Henry was preferred to Tim Southee as the third seamer, meanwhile, but he was expensive and Southee could be reinstated to prove his worth in this World Cup year.

NZ Key Players

New Zealand’s star players delivered in the first ODI – not least opener Martin Guptill, who scored 138 from 139 and became their fourth-highest ODI run scorer of all time in the process. His man-of-the-match innings was the 14th ODI century of his career.

Captain Kane Williamson (76 from 74 balls) and Ross Taylor (54 from 37 balls) also hit useful half-centuries. Williamson and Guptill shared a second-wicket stand of 163. Williamson now has 337 runs in his last nine ODI innings while, during the same period, Taylor has hit 584 runs at an average of 97.33. He previously hit 80 and 86* in his two ODI innings against Pakistan in November.

Staking a claim to join them in the World Cup starting XI was Jimmy Neesham, who backed up his good recent domestic form with an unbeaten 47 with the bat and 3-38 with the ball. His quick-fire knock including five sixes in an over as he took just 13 balls to amass his score.

Also in the wickets were Trent Boult (2-65), Lockie Ferguson (2-65) and Ish Sodhi (2-53). Ferguson took 11 wickets in the ODI series against Pakistan too, from just three matches and now has 16 in his last seven in total. Boult has 16 in ten.

NZ Team Form

New Zealand drew their most recent ODI series, in the UAE against Pakistan. Ross Taylor hit 80 in the first ODI and Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson each claimed three wickets in a 47-run win, but they could not back it up – restricted to 209/9 in the second match despite Taylor’s unbeaten 86. Ferguson took three more wickets in the reply, but Pakistan won by six wickets with 9.3 overs to spare. Ferguson then claimed 5-45 from his ten overs in the reply but rain cut short New Zealand’s reply to ensure no result and a drawn series.

Prior to that, New Zealand’s most recent ODI series was against England. They won the first match but only one of the next four as England claimed a 3-2 away series victory. It ended a run of straight wins for New Zealand, who had previously whitewashed Pakistan 5-0 and West Indies 3-0 before England’s visit.