ICC 2024-25 Rivalry Reignited: A Spectacle of Cricket Brilliance Awaits

Cricket followers are excited to find another spectacle clash between New Zealand and Sri Lanka. The stage is set for two cricket powerhouses to gear up for an unforgettable ODI encounter. While both teams have a rich history of competitive matches, fans anticipate a great, thrilling competition of skills, strategy, and passion between the two teams. In this cricket world, every action has a greater impact on their upcoming matches; true to it, New Zealand and Sri Lanka clash, ready to have their ODI match on January 5, 2025, at Basin Reserve to prove their potential. And fans are excited to know who will rise to the occasion and claim the victory in this epic showdown. Stay updated! Visit our website for all the exciting details and everything you need to know about your favorite teams and events.

As for the past matches this week, Australia and India had their fourth test series game on December 30, 2024. While both teams showed their potential to claim the victory, Australia grabbed it from India with their outstanding performance. Pat Cummins proved his capability to lead his team forward by winning the player of the match award. With 184 runs, Australia won the test match against India. Now, fans expect this series’ fifth test game as Australia holds the lead with 2-1. Looking briefly, Australia scored well in the first innings with key players like Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. India tried their best to beat down with the excellent play of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Yashasvi Jaiswal. During the second innings, Marnus Labuschagne continued his reign without struggle, and Nathan Lyon supported the team well. Continuing Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant made his presence good. But India failed to secure their victory against Australia.

As for the match between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan, by the end of the second innings with Zimbabwe, the game ended in a draw. Hashmatullah Shahidi was given the Player of the Match award for his excellent gameplay throughout the match. Following it, fans witness the great clash between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in their second T20 match series. Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl first; without hesitation, New Zealand approached the situation better. Following Mark Chapman, Mitchell Hay and Tim Robinson made their presence well on the ground against Sri Lanka bowlers. By the end of twenty overs, New Zealand scored 186 for 5 wickets. Later, Sri Lanka entered to bat against their opponent with key player Kusal Perera. Following him, Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka performed well, but New Zealand won the game by 45 runs.

On January 2, 2025, Sri Lanka and New Zealand played their third T20 series match. While New Zealand held the lead with two victories, Sri Lanka stood in a situation to escape their clean sheet loss. While New Zealand decided to bowl first, Sri Lanka players proved their potential without trouble. Kusal Perera scored a century to support his team; Charith Asalanka and Kusal Mendis played well by facing the bowlers. With an aim of 219, New Zealand entered the ground to make a victory, but determination did not lead them to win as they lost against Sri Lanka by 7 runs. Still, Jacob Duffy claimed the Player of the Series award with his excellent performance. On January 3, 2025, the India vs Australia test match and South Africa vs Pakistan test games were started, and we are yet to witness the result as both matches are still ongoing with their games.

Upcoming Game

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka

In this ICC 2024-25, New Zealand and Sri Lanka are ready to play their first match of the ODI series on January 5, 2025, at Basin Reserve (New Zealand).

Champion Glory

Past Rivalry

Fans look forward to the new ODI series between Sri Lanka and New Zealand after their stunning performance in past T20 matches. Let’s dive into their previous ODI matches around November 2024 for better information about upcoming ODI games. On November 13, 2024, Sri Lanka emerged victorious against New Zealand by 45 runs in the first ODI held in Dambulla, posting an impressive score of 324 for 5. New Zealand faced a revised target of 221 runs but fell short, managing only 175 for 9. Following this, on November 17, 2024, Sri Lanka triumphed again in the second ODI, limiting New Zealand to just 209 runs, with Mahesh Theekshana shining by taking three wickets for 31 runs. Sri Lanka chased down the target, finishing at 210 for 7, honor to Kusal Mendis’s unbeaten 74. This 3-wicket win via the DLS method gave them a 2-0 series lead. The third ODI on November 19, 2024, was interrupted by rain, resulting in no result. Ultimately, Sri Lanka clinched the series 2-0, with Kusal Mendis rightfully earning the title Player of the Series.

Notable Players

Top All-Rounders

Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)

Wanindu Hasaranga is one of the finest all-rounders in Sri Lanka. He is ready to play his ODI match against New Zealand and make a great impact on his team.

Michael Bracewell (New Zealand)

In this New Zealand ODI match against Sri Lanka, keen all-rounder Michael Bracewell is expected to play alongside fellow all-rounder Glenn Philips.

Top Batting Performers

Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka)

Kusal Mendis is in great form, scoring 372 runs in his last 10 matches with an average of 41.33 and a strike rate of 127.39, making him a key player for Sri Lanka.

Mark Chapman (New Zealand)

Mark Chapman has scored 147 runs in his last seven matches, averaging 36.75 with a strike rate of 145.54, adding depth to the New Zealand batting lineup.

Top Bowling Performers

Asitha Fernando (Sri Lanka)

In the upcoming ODI match against New Zealand, Sri Lanka holds Asitha Fernando who talented in fast bowling against batters. His lineup adds advantage to Sri Lanka in this game.

Mitchell Santner (New Zealand)

While other bowlers like Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy are pacers, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner is ready to lead the team with his excellent spin attack against Sri Lanka batters.

Prediction

After the T20 series between New Zealand and Sri Lanka, cricket followers are excited to witness the clash again in the ODI match. With a lead of 2-1, New Zealand won the T20 series, which made them get closer in training to gear up for the Champions Trophy. Looking into New Zealand’s previous ODI games, their performance was leisurely against an opponent that shunned their growth to improve better. With their recent game victory and improvement, fans expect a great change in the upcoming ODI game with Sri Lanka. As for the lineup in this game, Will Young and Rachin Ravindra are expected to start the match as openers for New Zealand. Rachin had better stats in his games and had big scores at the start of the series. Everyone expects his gameplay in this ODI to be better than the previous series. New Zealand holds Mark Chapman, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, and Michael Bracewell in the middle order. While each batter is given his best performance in each game, Tom Latham has more scope in this ODI game as he provided the best in the previous match. Mitchell Santer, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, and William O’Rourke are expected to give their best for New Zealand against Sri Lanka in the bowling unit. While other bowlers are well versed as pacers, Mitchell holds potential in spin attack. With a firm decision, New Zealand holds a higher chance of beating Sri Lanka as they have strong key players in this upcoming game.

Sri Lanka is preparing to play their upcoming ODI match with New Zealand after the recent loss in the T20 series. While both teams gave their best efforts to reach their goal, Sri Lanka lost due to their underwhelming performance against New Zealand. Their recent ODI game performance is impressive. Also, their three series win against India, West Indies, and New Zealand show their potential and strength to overcome their upcoming hard trial. While they performed best on their home ground, this upcoming ODI series will be a real test for Sri Lanka players overseas. In this upcoming ODI match, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis are expected to play as openers for Sri Lanka. With the recent performance in the T20 series, Nissanka holds higher expectations among fans. In the middle order, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, and Wanindu Hasaranga are ready to face New Zealand in this upcoming match. Janith and Wanindu are strong players who significantly impact the team. Maheesh Theekshana, Asitha Fernando, and Lahiru Kumara are expected to prove their capability to lead the team against New Zealand batters in the bowling unit. While Asitha and Lahiru are fast bowlers, Maheesh expects a spin attack. While every player is versatile in their talent, Sri Lanka has the opportunity to witness a victory in this clash. Still, comparing both teams, New Zealand has the upper hand against Sri Lanka in this ODI first match.