The two games at the Bay Oval, between to two ICC adversaries, is part of the six encounters spread between T20I and ODI contests over the holiday time of year.
 
This will be the third occasion that Sri Lanka has visited the Mount Maunganui Cricket ground.
 
Sri Lanka opened their tour of Aotearoa in 2019 with the first two legs of the ODI series, at the Bay Oval, in which they played the host nation in all three forms of the game.
 
New Zealand posted a massive 371 for the loss of seven wickets. Sri Lanka came back hard courtesy of MDKJ (Kusal) Perera who belted 102 of 86 balls, before the tourists were dismissed for 326. Martin Guptil was named player of the match after a knock of 138. 
 
Just two days later NLTC (Thisara) Perera continued his side's high scoring momentum with a blazing 140, which included eight 4's and a massive thirteen 6's, at the outstanding strike rate of 189.91. SrinLanka fell just 21 runs short of their target of 320, with Thisara Perera named player of the match.
 
Sri Lankan cricket stretches back to the start of British colonization in the 1800's. Although the first-class competition was set up in the mid 1930's, Sri Lanka had to wait until 1981 to become the eighth ICC test match nation.

 

Sri Lanka has made its mark in ICC World Cup Cricket, winning their inaugural title after beating Australia in the 1996 title decider. The 2014 ICC T20 World Cup belonged to the team from Asia after defeating India in the final. Sri Lanka continue to be a tough nut to crack in test match cricket, particularly at home.
 
It is certain that new NZC white ball Captain, Mitchell Santner, will want to open his term in charge of ‘OUR’ national team with emphatic success, to keep the Black Caps unbeaten record against Sri Lanka at the Blake Park venue, intact.
 
New Zealand Black Caps v Sri Lanka T20I at the Bay Oval
Saturday 28th December 2024 – 7.15pm start
Monday 30th December 2024 – 7.15pm start
 

ICC ODI MATCH RESULTS

5 January 2016

New Zealand Black Caps v Sri Lanka (5th ODI)
New Zealand 294/5 (MJ Guptil 102, KS Williamson 61, LRPL Taylor 61; KMDM Kulasekara 3/53) defeated Sri Lanka 258 (AD Mathews 95 TAM Siriwardene 39; MJ Henry 5/40, TA Boult 3/43)
Player of the Match: MJ Henry
 
3 January 2019    

Black Caps v Sri Lanka (1st ODI)
New Zealand 371/7 (MJ Guptil 138, KS Williamson 76, LRPL Taylor 54) defeated Sri Lanka 326 (MDKJ Perera 102, DPDN Dickwella 76; JDS Neesham 3/38)
Player of the Match: MJ Guptil

5 January 2019          

Black Caps v Sri Lanka (2nd ODI)
New Zealand 319/7 (LRPL Taylor 90, C Munro 87, JDS Neesham 64) defeated Sri Lanka 298 (NLTC Perera 140, MD Gunathilleke 71; IS Sodhi 3/55)
Player of the Match: NLTC Perera

 
ICC TWENTY 20 INTERNATIONAL MATCH RESULTS

7 January 2016

Black Caps v Sri Lanka (1st T20 International)
New Zealand 182/4 (MJ Guptil 58, KS Williamson 53, C Munro 36) defeated Sri Lanka 179 (MD Gunathilleke 46, TAM Siriwardene 42; TA Boult 3/21)
Player of the Match: TA Boult
 
ICC ODI Centuries at the Bay Oval (Black Caps v Sri Lanka)

102 / MJ Guptil / New Zealand v Sri Lanka / 2015/16
138 / MJ Guptil / New Zeeland v Sri Lanka / 2018/19
102 / MDKJ Perera / Sri Lanka v New Zealand / 2018/19
140 / NLTC Perera / Sri Lanka v New Zealand / 2018/19