Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka reacts as he leaves the field after losing his wicket to New Zealand’s William O’Rourke on the first day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP
Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat after winning the toss in the first test against New Zealand at the Galle International Stadium on Wednesday, September 18, 2024.
Both teams opted to play two spinners with Sri Lanka going for the left-arm spin of Prabath Jayasuriya and off-spin of Ramesh Mendis. New Zealand went with two specialist left-arm spinners — Ajaz Patel and Mitchell Santner.
New Zealand is playing its first test match in six months after a warm-up test last week against Afghanistan in India was washed out after five days without a ball being bowled.
Sri Lanka is coming off a three-match test series in England which the hosts won 2-1.
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (captain), Kusal Mendis, Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando.
New Zealand: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee (captain), Ajaz Patel, Will O’Rourke.
Published – September 18, 2024 11:13 am IST
