New Zealand’s cricket team is set to play a three-match One Day International (ODI) series against Sri Lanka, with the first match taking place on March 26th at Eden Park in Auckland. The team will be debuting two new players, Chad Bowes and Rachin Ravindra. Bowes is set to open the innings with Finn Allen, while Ravindra will be slotted in at number 7 as a spin-bowling allrounder. The limited overs match is raising money for the Red Cross NZ Disaster Relief Fund.
New Zealand is entering the series as favorites, having blanked Sri Lanka 2-0 in the preceding Test series. However, they are also coming off a 3-0 loss to India in November 2022. The Black Caps were dealt a blow ahead of the first ODI with seamer Lockie Ferguson unavailable to play due to injury. Ferguson was scheduled to only play in the opening match before leaving for the Indian Premier League (IPL) along with Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips. But Ferguson suffered a hamstring injury and failed a fitness test, he will no longer be part of the ODI series against Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, will be hoping to win the ODI series to make up for their disappointment in the Tests. They had started well in the first Test before their campaign went off the rail. Winning the ODIs series will be a big boost ahead of the ODI World Cup scheduled in India in October-November this year.
The second ODI will be played at Christchurch on March 28th and the third at Hamilton on March 31st. The teams will then engage in three T20Is on April 2nd (Auckland), April 5th (Dunedin), and April 8th (Queenstown).
