Written by Jason Dewey for @Hollywoodbets. Follow them both on Twitter and Facebook now!
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka | Sunday 10 January | Eden Park, Auckland | 03:30
In a heart-stopping first T20 International at Mount Maunganui, Grant Elliot emerged as New Zealand’s saviour by defending a nail-biting 13 runs in the final over. Having clinched the Test and ODI series, the Black Caps are eager to seal the T20 clash with another emphatic win before hosting Pakistan for more fixtures.
Sri Lanka, fiercely competitive, are jockeying for the top spot in the ICC World T20 rankings. A less than stellar performance in this final match could see them slip beneath Australia and West Indies, raising the stakes for this battle at Eden Park.
Match Odds to Win:
New Zealand 5/10
Draw 35/1
Sri Lanka 16/10
Recap of the Previous Match
The first T20 was dominated by stunning knocks from Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson. Batting first on a picturesque day, despite losing the toss, New Zealand thrived. Guptill smashed boundaries left and right including a spectacular 14-run opening over and an explosive 50 off 27 balls. The tactical switching of bowlers by Sri Lanka couldn’t contain him, as the opening partnership set a solid foundation.
After both openers exited, Colin Munro and Ross Taylor contributed power hitting, with Grant Elliot finishing unbeaten, propelling New Zealand to a competitive 182-4.
On the field, the Black Caps showed lethal bowling with Trent Boult and Matt Henry dismantling Sri Lanka’s top order early, restricting them to 42-4. While Sri Lanka’s middle order tried to steady the innings, wickets kept tumbling, culminating in Elliot’s tense but successful last-over defence.
New Zealand
Martin Guptill is in sterling form, racking up an impressive 615 runs throughout Sri Lanka’s tour. His powerful batting is central to New Zealand’s hopes. Along with stalwarts Williamson, Taylor and Munro, the Black Caps boast firepower throughout their batting lineup.
Their formidable bowling attack anchored by Boult, Henry, and spinners Sodhi and McCullum, makes them one of the most challenging teams to beat in T20 cricket today. Expect a dominant performance from this side in the upcoming game.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka are in a rebuilding phase with a young squad gaining valuable international experience ahead of the World T20 Championship. With experienced players like Dilshan, Matthews, Malinga (currently unavailable), and Kulasekara, the team has a mix of youth and seasoned talent. Promising youngsters like legspinner Gunathilaka are making their mark and will be key players in the future.
While they face a tough challenge against the Black Caps without Malinga, their growth and exposure this tour bodes well for the World T20 in March.
Expert Verdict: Martin Guptill to Top Score for New Zealand at 9/4
Martin Guptill has been unstoppable recently, and at odds of 9/4 to top score for New Zealand, he represents great value betting. Don’t miss out on backing one of the hottest batsmen right now!
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