T20 World Cup 2022: Match 27 - Predicted New Zealand Playing XI vs Sri Lanka

After their spectacular victory against the defending champions Australia, New Zealand seems one of the favourites to qualify for the semi-finals of the 2022 T20 World Cup. However, with their last match against Afghanistan being washed out, they cannot afford to drop more points when they face the Asian champions Sri Lanka at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on October 29.

Be it their batting or bowling, the Kiwis were brilliant in their approach and that again should be the template when they face the Lankans. The team took a bold call of benching Martin Guptill in the previous match and as things stand, they are likely to change one player from their previous match. Coming to the match, the team will also be concerned about Kane Williamson’s form. Rest, the team can be relaxed for a positive outcome against a decent Lankan squad.

Let’s look at New Zealand's probable playing XI against Sri Lanka:

Openers: Finn Allen and Devon Conway (wk)

The duo of Finn Allen and Devon Conway was extremely dangerous in their opening game against Australia as they smashed 56 in four overs. Finn Allen’s blistering innings of 42 runs off 16 balls set the tone for the other batters to come and dominate. Overall, the swashbuckling opener smashed 511 runs in 19 T20I matches so far. With a spectacular strike rate of 166.99, the 23-year-old can dictate the game against the Sri Lankan bowling lineup.

On the other hand, Conway has been exceptional in the last couple of years. Having scored 289 runs in his last five T20I innings, he can be the game-changer for the team. Overall, he played 29 T20Is for the Blackcaps and scored 1033 runs at a strike rate of 136.10. 

Middle-Order: Kane Williamson(c), Glenn Phillips

Kane Williamson’s form is a major concern for the New Zealand side. The captain scored 23 runs in the last match but his strike rate of 100 in a T20I match is concerning. Overall, the 32-year-old played 82 T20Is for New Zealand and scored 2248 runs at a strike rate of 123.44. He plays the role of an anchor and thus takes time to settle down but once settled, he will need to accelerate well.

Coming to Glenn Phillips, the 25-year-old played 50 T20Is for New Zealand and scored 1106 runs at a stunning strike rate of 145.14. He is also an exceptional fielder and can keep wickets in Conway’s absence. He is a valuable asset to Williamson and like most other batters in the team, he can take the game away from the opposition..

All-rounders: Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner

After missing the first game against Australia because of a finger injury, Daryl Mitchell is likely to make his return for New Zealand against Sri Lanka. The 31-year-old is arguably one of New Zealand’s best finisher and will have the important responsibility. So far, the all-rounder represented New Zealand in 35 T20Is and scored 657 runs at a strike rate of 141.59. With the bowl, he picked up seven wickets at an economy of 10.26.

Jimmy Neesham is someone who has some unfinished business in white-ball cricket. Even after doing everything possible in the 2019 ODI World Cup, Neesham failed to lift the prestigious trophy and would want to come hard to win his maiden white-ball ICC trophy. The all-rounder played 54 T20Is for New Zealand so far and scored 661 runs at a spectacular strike rate of 164.83. With the bowl, he picked up 25 wickets at an economy of 9.12.

Mitchell Santner, the 30-year-old played 74 T20Is for the country and picked up 83 wickets at an economy of 7.16. When it comes to his batting, the southpaw did play some valuable knocks in the past. So far, he scored 461 runs at a strike rate of 129.13.

Bowlers: Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult

Pacers are the pillars of New Zealand’s bowling attack in any format of the game. The trio of Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson has done wonders for the Blackcaps in the recent past and they also played a critical part in their 89-run victory over Australia as they picked up six wickets to completely demolish their opponents. Meanwhile, Ish Sodhi, who picked up one wicket giving away 29 runs in his four overs against Australia, will be the spinner alongside three pacers . Overall, the Punjab-born cricketer picked up 104 wickets from 82 matches at an economy of 8.11. 

New Zealand predicted XI against Sri Lanka: Devon Conway (wk), Finn Allen, Kane Williamson (c), Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult

Click here to know the T20 World Cup Points Table and T20 World Cup Schedule updates.