Sri Lanka and New Zealand will meet in their third and final T20 cricket match today at John Davies Oval grounds at Queenstown in their first T20 game at this venue which is also the first T-20 International at the venue . The two teams last time met at this venue in a ODI way back in 2006 which was won by New Zealand by one wicket and today’s game also very vital to record a series win .

Both New Zealand and Sri Lanka have big challenge to win the series and this third game going to be a keen tussle. The first game at Auckland ended in a tie and Sri Lanka won in the super over while the second game New Zealand dominated all three departments to get an easy nine wicket win with 32 balls to spare.

The way Sri Lanka batters and bowlers handled the second game was not up to expectations and New Zealander Adam Milne was the match winner with his first five wicket haul ( 5 for 26) as Sri Lankan struggled to 141 all out in 19 overs and non of the batters had a chance to reach fifty.

Dhananjaya de Silva (37),Kusal Janith Perera (35)and Charith Asalanka ( 24)were the chief scorers while only replacement of the team Kasun Rajitha got the solitary wicket in the second game and today they have to come back strongly to win the game to get first ever T20 series win in New Zealand. Sri Lanka team is worried that their top order batting especially opener Pathum Nissanka was not among the runs at both T-20 matches.

Kusal Mendis played brisk innings but was unable to make big score while Kusal Janith Perera who came back after 15 months had two good innings scoring 54 not out and 35 while most successful batter Charith Asalanka the first game man of the match is determined to play his usual game today.

However skipper Dasun Shanaka was not among the runs in this series. He has entered the ongoing IPL but his poor form is the big issue for Sri Lanka team.

Sri Lanka most probably will name an unchanged batting order with seven batters and four bowlers( three pacemen and a spinner) and they might change one fast bowler from the second T 20. Lahiru Kumara who bowled really well as the ODI series had an injury but he is fully recovered to play while Kasun Rajitha who replaced Chamika Karunarathna at the second game once again will get chance and most probably will replace Dilshan Madushanka who has not bowled well at the last two games.

In fact young Matheesha Pathirana the franchise games specialist is not well according to team news but he has to got green light from Medical officials said a senior official of SLC.

The wicket keeper Sadeera Samarawickrama, opener Lasith Croospulle and leg spin all rounder Dunith Wellalage have not played a single game yet and had to sit on the bench during last two games but most unlikely to replace these players today.

Meanwhile New Zealand led by Tom Latham has confidence after easy nine wicket win at the last game and their intentions are clear to get series win and hope to repeat their performance today.

Sri Lanka team stayed over one month in New Zealand from last March 1and is expected to come back on March 9 having already lost both test and ODI series hope to get at least T20 series win today.