New Zealand is all set to take on the Sri Lanka in Match 41 of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 on Thursday, November 9 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. Both the teams have a star-studded squad that can change the course of the game with their abilities. New Zealand is the favourite to win this encounter against Sri Lanka.
New Zealand and Sri Lanka have a fierce rivalry in the format. Both teams have played 101 ODI matches, with New Zealand winning 51 games and Sri Lanka winning 41 games so far in the head to head encounters. In this article, we will take a look at the key player battles to watch out for in the match 41 of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 between New Zealand and Sri Lanka.
Also Read: NZ vs SL, World Cup 2023: Sri Lanka Team News and Injury Updates
Here are three player battles to watch out for during NZ vs SL match:
1) Charith Asalanka vs Mitchell Santner
Charith Asalanka delivered a stellar century against Bangladesh in the last match of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, scoring 108 runs off 105 deliveries with six boundaries and five sixes. He will be eager to replicate his performance against New Zealand. However, he will have to contend with Mitchell Santner, the Kiwi’s leading wicket-taker with 14 wickets in eight matches.
2) Rachin Ravindran vs Kasun Rajitha
Rachin Ravindran has been a standout performer in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, emerging as New Zealand’s leading run-scorer and ranking third overall. He has amassed an impressive total of 523 runs, including three centuries and two fifties. The in-form batsman is set to face off against Kasun Rajitha, who has claimed eight wickets so far. Although they have met only once in a past ODI match, Rajitha managed to dismiss him, conceding just two runs from four deliveries.
3) Kusal Mendis vs Ish Sodhi
Kusal Mendis and Ish Sodhi have crossed paths in two prior ODI matches. In both encounters, the New Zealand spinner managed to dismiss Mendis, restricting him to just seven runs off 19 deliveries, without a single boundary. Their impending battle is one to keep a close eye on in the upcoming game. Mendis has accumulated 288 runs in the current tournament, featuring a century and a half-century.