ICC World Cup 2023 Match 41, NZ vs SL | Who Will Win?

image-lopfrf7xNew Zealand are in contention for a semi-final spot [X.com]

In what is expected to be a mouth-watering clash, New Zealand will lock horns against Sri Lanka on Thursday at the iconic M . Chinnaswammy Stadium in Bangalore for Match 41 of the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

For New Zealand, this is a must-win encounter, as victory here could help the Black Caps qualify for the semi-finals, whereas the Lankan Lions have already been knocked out of the tournament and would want to restore some lost pride. 

NZ vs SL: Kiwis eye semi-final qualification against Down-and-out Lanka 

New Zealand's fall from grace has been astounding, having started the tournament with four consecutive wins, are now fighting it out to stay alive having lost their last four encounters, which include a 20-run defeat against Pakistan via DLS despite scoring 401.

The batting has revolved around youngster Rachin Ravindra, while the other batters have largely failed to make big contributions.

Kane Williamson has been consistent in limited chances and will be expected to fully utilize his troops on the field while captaining. Injuries to key bowlers have not helped New Zealand's cause but the drop of Trent Boult and Tim Southee's form is a concern, which Lankan Lions could exploit.

Santner will again be crucial in the middle overs, which could stifle Sri Lankan batters.

Sri Lanka's woes continues

On the other hand, having qualified after an outstanding ICC World Cup 2023 Qualifiers tournament, Sri Lanka have looked completely out of sorts in India, and have managed just two wins out of their eight games. 

Sadeera Samarawickrama, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, and Kusal Mendis have been the stand-out performers for the 1996 WC champions but have yet to perform as a cohesive batting unit.

Apart from Dilshan Madushanka, no other bowler has managed to make an impact, which has been the main reason behind Sri Lanka's poor showing. The bowling unit has been erratic despite having talented players in the squad.

Despite New Zealand's poor run, the overall composition and skillset give them a good advantage, given the problems Sri Lanka has been having both on and off the field. 

Sri Lanka are known to fight back and respond when they are against the wall, and this represents a perfect chance to prove their detractors wrong, and pile on more misery over Kiwis, who will be under immense pressure.