Sri Lanka will take on New Zealand in the first of the two-match T20 series to be played out under lights at Pallekele International Cricket stadium this evening.
The home side having managed to stay at the top of the ICC T20 rankings need to win just one match at least to retain the spot and will surely go all out to secure a win.
Rain completely de-valued the ODI series in Hambantota and Dambulla and all hopes will be to get in a full game today.
Young skipper Dinesh Chandimal who celebrated his 24th birthday yesterday emphatically stated that Sri Lanka will go with full strength team at least for the first match and thereafter try rotation.
He claimed that with the T20 World cup in sight, the team must be in place shape up to face that challenge.
Ramith Rambukwelle makes his debut while leg- spinner Prassana Seekuge will look at making his mark in the spin department. Sri Lanka still search for that illusive spinner to take the course from Muralidaran.
Sri Lanka – Dinesh Chandimal (captain), Lasith Malinga (vice-captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardane, Nuwan Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal, Angelo Mathews, Ajantha Mendis, Kushal Perera, Thisara Perera, Seekkuge Prasanna, Ramith Rambukwella, Kumar Sangakkara, Sachithra Senanayake, Lahiru Thirimanne.
New Zealand – Kyle Mills (captain), Corey Anderson, Anton Devcich, Grant Elliott, Andrew Ellis, Tom Latham (wk), Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, James Neesham, Rob Nicol, Luke Ronchi, Hamish Rutherford.
