SL vs NZ Match Prediction- 1st Test, New Zealand tour of Sri Lanka 2024

SL vs NZ Test series is all set to thrill cricket fans with two exciting games. The New Zealand tour of Sri Lanka 2024 begins with the 1st Test on Wednesday, September 18 in Galle, Sri Lanka.

Dhananjay de Silva-led Sri Lanka lost their previous Test series to England (2-1) but they showed a wonderful attack to win the final game. Defeating England in England has arrived as a big achievement for the side.

New Zealand needs to buckle up as they don't have the home advantage in the series and Sri Lanka is quite powerful at home. Below we glance at the complete preview for the match.

SL vs NZ Team Analysis

Sri Lanka

Dhananjaya de Silva is the skipper of Sri Lanka in the series. With a win percentage of 42.86, they take the 5th spot in the ICC World Test Championship points table.

New Zealand

Tim Southee is the captain of New Zealand in the series. They take the 3rd spot in the WTC points table with a 50.0 win percentage.

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SL vs NZ Key Factors

Pitch Conditions

The SL vs NZ 1st Test takes place at Galle Cricket Stadium in Sri Lanka. It is a high-scoring ground where teams often post gigantic totals.

The pitch is spin-friendly and spinners always dominate the opposition. Batters of spin also enjoy a good day at work.

Form and Fitness

There is no injury to any players so far and all the members are available for the first game.

Tactical Acumen

Sri Lanka- Sri Lanka has the home advantage in the match and they are quite powerful at their home soil.

New Zealand- New Zealand are a dominant team on any soil and in the current scenario, they are quite a powerful team than Sri Lanka in Tests.

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SL vs NZ Match Prediction- 1st Test, New Zealand tour of Sri Lanka 2024

SL vs NZ Score Prediction

Players to perform prediction

SL- Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, and Dimuth Karunaratne are key members of the side.

NZ- Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tim Southee, and Mitchell Santner are prominent names in their squad.

Best Batsman Prediction

Who will score the most runs for SL in the match: Pathum Nissanka or Kusal Mendis

Who will score the most runs for NZ in the match: Kane Williamson or Daryl Mitchell

Best Bowler Prediction

Who will pick the most wickets for SL in the match: Prabath Jayasuriya or Vishwa Fernando

Who will pick the most wickets for NZ in the match: Mitchell Santner or Tim Southee

Who will win the Match?

The match is going to be a nail-biting encounter and it is tough to predict the winner of the match. However, the match might end in a draw or Sri Lanka would pull up a victory with the home advantage in their favour.

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Conclusion

The SL vs NZ Test series will provide a superb chance to both teams to improve their rankings in the WTC points table. A clean sweep will help to better their ranks in the table and both teams will look for the same.