New Zealand choose to bat vs Sri Lanka
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first on what Mitchell Santner thought was “a good surface, maybe a touch on the slower side”. With “no rain forecast”, Santner was more encouraged to bat first in the first T20I. Charith Asalanka said he would have batted first too.
Sri Lanka have made no changes to the XI that won their last T20I against the West Indies. Slingers Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Untilhara form the fast bowling contingent, while Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga and Dunith Wellalage are the main spinners.
New Zealand: 1 Tim Robinson, 2 Will Young, 3 Mark Chapman, 4 Glenn Phillips, 5 Michael Bracewell, 6, Mitchell Hay (week), 7 Josh Clarkson, 8, Mitchell Santner (captain), 9 Ish Sodhi, 10 Zakary Foulkes, 11Jacob Duffy
Sri Lanka: 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Mendis (wk), 3 Kusal Perera, 4 Kamindu Mendis, 5 Charith Asalanka (captain), 6 Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Dunith Wellalage, 9 Maheesh Theekshana
