The New Zealand cricket team arrived in Sri Lanka this morning for a two-match Test series, which is part of the ICC Test Championship. The series will start on September 18 at the Galle International Cricket Stadium and will end on September 30. The matches will be open to the public, free of charge.
A special feature of this series is that September 21, the day of Sri Lanka’s Presidential Election, will be declared a rest day. This will allow the players to cast their votes. Because of this, the match will be extended to six days. The Sri Lankan players will travel to their villages to vote and rejoin the team later in the afternoon.
The last time Sri Lanka and New Zealand played a Test series in Sri Lanka was in 2019, and the series ended in a 1-1 tie. Last year, New Zealand won the two-match Test series 2-0 when it was held in New Zealand. Out of 39 Test matches between the two countries, New Zealand has won 18, Sri Lanka 9, and 11 matches have ended in a draw.
A notable feature of this tournament is that former Sri Lankan spinner Rangana Herath has been appointed as New Zealand’s spin coach. Former Indian batting coach Vikram Rathore will also be with the New Zealand team as their batting coach.
