New Zealand v Sri Lanka Second T20 Tips: Tourists value in chase

• Toss bias alerts us to Sri Lanka bet

• Hasaranga crucial again

• Beware Neesham hitting

New Zealand v Sri Lanka
Wednesday 5 April, 02:00
TV: Live on BT Sports

Team news

As we said before game one, this is not New Zealand's first-choice XI. Several players are at the IPL, including Trent Boult, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Finn Allen and Tim Southee. Kane Williamson injured himself before playing for Gujarat.

They looked a weaker team in Auckland with all three frontline pacers - Adam Milne, Henry Shipley and Ben Lister - going for more than 10 an over. Conceding 196 against a batting unit they had dominated previously was noteworthy. Matt Henry could return as a result.

Possible XI: Bowes, Seifert, Latham, Mitchell, CHapman, Neesham, Ravindra, Milne, Shipley, Sodhi, Lister

The Sri Lankan batting was aggressive despite losing a wicket off the first ball of game one. It was impressive stuff. Kusal Mendis set the tone with excellent intent.

Charith Asalanka grabbed the headlines with 67 off 41 and then did the hard work under pressure as the match went to a Super Over. The contribution of Wanindu Hasaranga to keep them in the game, though, in the second innings with two for 30 should not be underestimated.

Probable XI: Nissanka, K Mendis, K Perera, Dhananjaya, Asalanka, Shanka, Hasaranga, Karunaratne, Theekshana, Madushanka, Madushan

Pitch report

Dunedin's University Oval has not been a consistent track for the batters. In the last 21 first-innings not rain affected, nine have produced scores of 160 or more. It's an unpredictable surface and one for extremes.

There have been plenty of really low totals and then a chunk of monster ones. For example, Otago got 190 in January a day after Central were rolled for 108. This could be a wicket like Gump's box of chocolates and is perhaps reflected in an unders line of 162.5 and overs of 186.5 early on. No rain is forecast.

Team news

New Zealand are 1.608/13 with Sri Lanka 2.6213/8. Given the respective choices of team selection, it is harsh on Sri Lanka.

It is also particularly unfair considering the whopping toss bias for the chaser in the study period mentioned above. The chaser has won 17.

The tourists would rate a pretty fair call, then, if the toss was to go their way and they were set a target. That would also keep on side a potential bowler-friendly surface in the first dig.

Tops value

Chad Bowes, auditioning as opener for the Kiwis, has 165 runs in four innings at this venue so he could be worth a follow on the runs lines or Sportsbook top-bat prices. We note Jimmy Neesham's insane strike rate of 179 across a decent study period at the venue, too.

Neesham struck 45 from just 16 balls against Australia in 2021. There were 31 sixes in that match as the Kiwis just about held on defending 219.