The 41st match of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 is underway between New Zealand and Sri Lanka. The Kiwi team aims to strengthen its claim in the semifinals by winning this match. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka strives to secure a victory here to make a mark in the upcoming Champions Trophy in Pakistan. The match holds great importance for both teams, and there is a possibility of rain during the game, which could affect the gameplay for both sides. Despite the potential rain, both teams hope for a full 20-over match, but the result of this encounter is crucial. New Zealand has won the toss and opted to bowl first. Sri Lanka has set a target of 171 runs while batting first.
Sri Lanka's team managed to score 171 runs
Batting first, Sri Lanka’s team was restricted to 171 runs in 46.4 overs. Kusal Perera scored the highest with 51 runs, and Dickwella contributed 38 runs. Trent Boult took three wickets for New Zealand. The New Zealand team will now aim to easily achieve the target of 172 runs and secure their spot in the semifinals.
What happened in the first innings?
Losing the toss and opting to bat first, the start of the Sri Lankan team’s innings was quite poor. The first wicket fell at a score of three runs, with Nissanka unable to open his account and getting dismissed by Saudi. After that, Perera quickly scored runs, but wickets kept falling at the other end. Captain Mendis made six runs before getting out. Samarawickrama and Charith Asalanka contributed one run and eight runs respectively. After the powerplay, Sri Lanka’s score was 74/5.
Subsequently, the run rate decreased, but wickets continued to fall. Angelo Mathews scored 16, and Dhananjaya de Silva scored 19 before getting out. Chameera Karunaratne also made six runs before departing. Dushmantha Chameera contributed one run. For the last wicket, Mahesh Theekshana partnered with Dilshan Madushanka, adding 43 runs and taking the team to a fighting score. Trent Boult took three wickets for New Zealand, while Lockie Ferguson, Mitchell Santner, and Rachin Ravindra each secured two wickets.