The New Zealand cricket team is all set to kick off their white leg of the Sri Lanka tour, and these two teams will be locking horns for the two T20Is and three ODIs, with the opening match slated to take place on November 9 at Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium in Dambulla.

The Black Caps have arrived in Sri Lankan conditions riding the momentum of a historic milestone—a magnificent 3-0 Test series sweep over Rohit Sharma-led Team India on Indian conditions. This feat not only marked their first Test series win in India but also made them one of the rarest teams to mark a whitewash of the Indian team at home. Leading the T20I squad is star all-rounder Mitchell Santner, who was instrumental in the India series, scalping 13 wickets in the second Test match at MCA in Pune. Notably, this T20I series marks their first series after their disappointing group stage exit in the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean. The Black Caps will be eager to rebound and regain their momentum in this series against Charith Asalanka and his men.

On the flip side, the Sri Lanka cricket team defeated Team India by 2-0 in the ODI series played earlier this year and now won the recently concluded Test series 2-0 against New Zealand. They will be aiming to commence the white-ball series with a win. The Lanka Lions have been in red-hot form in the last couple of months at home and would be aiming to pose a big threat to Mitchell Santner and his men.