Match Preview: New Zealand favourites against Sri Lanka in World Cup opening clash

New Zealand are one of the favourites to lift this year's World Cup. Sri Lanka are not. 

New Zealand are in a team in good form, so their favourites tag is not merely due to playing in home conditions. Sri Lanka on the other hand, have lost 11 of the 18 ODIs they have played over the last four months, and just lost a warm up game to utter minnows Zimbabwe. The morale in the Lankan camp cannot be good and Angelo Matthews must know it.

The fact that the weather is likely to be wet and windy will further dent Lanka's spirit. Sri Lanka's chances are not so poor that a washed out game would be seen as a positive, but a maximum temperature of 15 degrees celsius in the middle of summer will not be something Sri Lanka look forward to. 

New Zealand though will do well not to take Sri Lanka lightly. The Lankans have always shown the ability to shake off their underdogs tag and come up with spirit performances. Cue Lasith Malinga's 4 wickets in 4 balls against South Africa. But on current form, Sri Lanka are dead in the water. And unlike in 2007 in the Caribbean, Lanka cannot hope for turners in New Zealand (or Australia) to shock a clueless non-Asian opposition. One positive though is that Malinga averages a measly 23 against New Zealand.

Christchurch is likely to be a batsman's wicket but no wicket in Australia or New Zealand seems to be batting-friendly for Asian teams nowadays. Moreover, there is chance of rain and dew, so Sri Lanka might want to bowl first if they win the toss.

Teams (Probable):

New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum (captain), Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Grant Elliott, Luke Ronchi (wicketkeeper), Corey Anderson, Daniel Vettori, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Trent Boult

Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kumar Sangakkara (wicketkeeper), Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews (captain), Dimuth Karunaratne/Dinesh Chandimal, Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Rangana Herath, Lasith Malinga