Dhananjaya de Silva returns as Sri Lanka bat first in Hamilton
Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat first, on what captain Dasun Shanaka felt should be a good batting track in the third ODI in Hamilton. New Zealand captain Tom Latham said he would have bowled first anyway, mostly because the dew that forms in the evening can hamper the side bowling second. A damp ball is not only harder for bowlers to grip, it can also skid on off the surface, which tends to aid batters.
Sri Lanka strengthened their batting for this match, having been blasted out for 76 in the first ODI. They brought in Dhananjaya de Silva into the XI, dropping seam bowler Dilshan Madushanka from the side. This means they will field only two frontline seamers, in Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara, and will need overs from the likes of Chamika Karunaratne, who was in good rhythm in Auckland, Shanaka himself, and de Silva as well.
New Zealand made two changes forced by some of their players departing for the IPL. Glenn Phillips and Finn Allen, both of whom did well in the first ODI, exit the side, and in their place come Tom Blundell and Henry Nicholls. Blundell will open alongside Chad Bowes.
The toss was conducted under blue skies, and the weather is expected to remain good through the course of the encounter.
New Zealand: Tom Blundell, Chad Bowes, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (capt.)(wk), Henry Nicholls, Rachin Ravindra, Henry Shipley, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Nuwanidu Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Angelo Mathews, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (capt,), Chamika Karunaratne, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara
(Cricinfo)
