The first match of the one-day series, which will be held in connection with the Sri Lanka tour of the New Zealand team, is scheduled to start tomorrow (13th) at 2.30 pm at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium.

Accordingly, since this is the first match of the 3-match ODI series, both teams will try to win this match and get a successful start to the tournament. However, the second match of this tournament is scheduled to be held on the 17th and the third and final one-day match on the 19th.Also, it is special that the first match of the one-day tournament is planned to be held at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium and the second and third matches at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy.
Sri Lanka enter the tournament on the back of two remarkable ODI victories against the West Indies and India. Accordingly, New Zealand entering this tournament under a new leadership will undoubtedly face a strong challenge from Sri Lanka.
Before the start of the one-day series, the news from the Sri Lankan team was not very optimistic. In other words, spinner Vanindu Hasaranga will miss all the matches of the one-day series due to suffering a foot injury in the recently concluded Sri Lanka-New Zealand second Twenty20 match.
Accordingly, Wanindu Hasaranga has now started rehabilitation for his injury at the Sri Lanka Cricket High Performance Center in Colombo. It is also special that Dushan Hemantha has been called to the Sri Lankan squad instead of Wanindu.Wanindu suffered the above injury while bowling in the second Twenty20 match against New Zealand. Even so, despite suffering from the injury, Vanindu managed to finish his 4 overs, where Vanindu was able to take 4 wickets for 17 runs.
Accordingly, the loss of Vanindu's service in the ODI series is an irreparable loss from Sri Lanka's side.
However, the Sri Lankan batting line-up led by Charit Asanlaka will have a big responsibility in this tournament as well and the success of the Sri Lankan batsmen will decide the fate of Sri Lanka in the ODI series as well.Considering the behavior of the pitch at the Dambulla stadium in recent times, it can be thought that the spinners will get a more suitable pitch in this match as well.
Accordingly, at the beginning of the Sri Lankan innings, Pathum Nissanka will always be given more responsibility.Pathum's success has a decisive impact on the success of Sri Lanka's scoreboard. Even so, Avishka Fernando could not do anything with the bat in the completed West Indies-Sri Lanka ODI series.Most likely, Avishka will get the opportunity to enter the field as the opening batsman in this match as well. If by some reason Avishka fails, there is doubt about Avishka's place in the second and third matches of this tournament. Also, Avishka's failure does not bode well for the team.Especially given the behavior of the Dambulla pitch, there is a higher chance of Avishka failing if he gets a slow pitch. In that case, it is inevitable that more pressure will be placed on Charit Sasanka, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Sadheera Samarawickrama and Janith Liyanage.
Meanwhile, Kusal Mendis also suffered a foot injury in the second T20 match that ended. However, cricket sources say that Kusal's injury is not serious and he will join this match.
In the history of ODI cricket, 102 ODI matches have been played between Sri Lanka and New Zealand so far. New Zealand has won 52 matches while Sri Lanka has won only 41 matches. Also, the last time Sri Lanka won a bilateral one-day tournament was in 2012.
New Zealand won the ODI series 2-0 in the last tour of New Zealand held by the Sri Lankan team in 2023.