If India fails to win the fourth test on the subcontinent, Sri Lanka can follow Australia, who were previously confirmed in the WTC final, by defeating New Zealand in their two-test series.
This week in Christchurch, Sri Lanka will try to beat New Zealand, and the rivalry will continue if Australia is able to stop India from winning the World Test Title (WTC).
Sri Lanka, like Australia, can join them in the WTC final by defeating New Zealand in two matches if India fails to win the fourth test on the subcontinent. The series begins at Hagley Oval on the same day that India and Australia play their final match at the huge Ahmedabad stadium.
To surpass their rivals in South Asia, a much more challenging endeavor, Sri Lanka must make history. Their most recent victory came in 2006, when the team led by Stephen Fleming split a 1-1 series with Mahela Jayawardene. In New Zealand, they have never won more than one test.
“Beating New Zealand in New Zealand is certainly going to be a huge task, but the last time we played some good cricket over here,” veteran all-rounder Angelo Mathews told reporters on Tuesday, referring to their 1-0 defeat on the 2019 tour.
Because they will attack us hard, we must fight fire with fire. Sri Lanka recently held a training camp in the hills south of Kandy with the intention of imitating New Zealand’s cool weather and bouncy wickets.
Sri Lanka has brought all of their pace bowlers because New Zealand prefers to attack with spin. While Milan Priyanath and seam-bowling all-rounder Chamika Karunaratne have both participated in tests, none of the quicks have. They’ll have to learn on the job as a result. On the other hand, New Zealand’s historic one-run victory over England last week in Wellington boosts optimism.
The Black Caps kept their home record of never losing since 2017 by drawing the series 1-1.
Kane Williamson, the team’s top batsman and former captain, will arrive in Christchurch late due to his grief over his grandmother’s death. The team captain, Tim Southee, asserts that everyone is “buzzing.”
“We haven’t felt that for a while, and just to have that buzz around test cricket is great,” the fast bowler for the England series stated.
Like England, Sri Lanka should try to win quickly in Christchurch, where it frequently rains during the test. Dimuth Karunaratne’s group should do likewise. “I hope that continues in the coming weeks,” he stated. India will finish last at the WTC if it does not win the second test in Wellington.
Mathews predicted that Sri Lanka, which had only lost to India in the desert and had won three of their previous six series, would act similarly. “Clearly, the English are playing cricket in a different way,” he said.
completely at ease We are aware that in order to advance to the final, we must win both matches and play exceptionally well.
“It’s fairly simple.”