Southampton – New Zealand skipper Melie Kerr won the toss and, without much hesitation, decided her side would have a hit first in this Women’s T20 World Cup match against Sri Lanka. It’s cool, a touch breezy on the south coast, but the surface looked firm enough for Kerr to back her top order.
Sri Lanka, still feeling Friday’s defeat to England, have freshened things up. Hasini Perera slots into the top three in place of Imasha Dulani. More significantly, coach Rumesh Ratnayake has asked for an extra bowler: right-arm seamer Kawya Kavindi and left-arm spinner Nimasha Meepage come in, with Hansima Karunaratne and Malki Madara making way. “We needed a bit more bite with the ball,” captain Chamari Athapaththu admitted yesterday.
New Zealand stick with the XI beaten by West Indies. Kerr backed her group, saying on match-eve, “One result doesn’t define us; we’re learning fast.”
Probable XIs
New Zealand: Georgia Plimmer, Izzy Gaze (wk), Melie Kerr (capt), Sophie Devine, Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Izzy Sharp, Jess Kerr, Nensi Patel, Rosemary Mair, Bree Illing.
Sri Lanka: Vishmi Gunaratne, Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Kaushini Nuthyangana (wk), Sugandika Kumari, Kawya Kavindi, Mithali Ayodhya, Nimasha Meepage.
First ball is due at 3 pm UK time, weather permitting.
