High flying New Zealand will take on Sri Lanka on Wednesday (January 8, 2025) in the second ODI of the ongoing three-match series between NZ and SL. The key match will be played at Seddon Park in Hamilton.
The upcoming NZ vs SL match could decide the fate of the ongoing series. New Zealand lead the series after winning the first game and can take an elusive 2-0 lead with a win in the upcoming game. On the other hand, Sri Lanka will have to win the match at any cost to keep the NZ vs SL series alive.
In the first game in Wellington, New Zealand got 9 winners because they completely outplayed Sri Lanka. Batting first, the visitors were bowled out for just 178 runs. Opener Avishka Fernando top scored for Sri Lanka, scoring 56 runs. For New Zealand, Matt Henry played with the ball, taking 4 wickets for 19 runs.
In reply, the Blackcaps used an unbeaten knock of 90 runs from their opener Will Young to chase down the total with the loss of just one wicket. They crossed the finish line in 27 overs. With both teams now preparing for the crucial second leg, we look at the weather and pitch report.
NZ vs SL Weather Report & Pitch Report for Seddon Park, Hamilton – 2nd ODI, Sri Lanka Tour of New Zealand 2024-25:
NZ vs SL Weather Report for Hamilton:
NZ vs SL second ODI will be held in Hamilton and will be played day-night. Teams are likely to be greeted by cloudy conditions in Hamilton, although there is no forecast for a tough run. Drizzle might stop play for a while, but it’s unlikely to spoil the fun.
The temperature will be around 20 degrees in the first part of the match. After sunset, a temperature of 15 to 20 degrees Celsius is expected.
NZ vs SL Pitch Report:
Here are the stats for Seddon Park, Hamilton:
| First ODI match | 15.2.1981 |
| Last ODI match | 31.3.2023 |
| Matches played | 39 |
| Matches won by the home team | 24 (61.54%) |
| Matches won by the touring side | 7 (17.95%) |
| Matches won by neutral side | 5 (12.82%) |
| Matches won by kicking | 13 (33.33%) |
| Matches won | 23 (58.97%) |
| Matches won Winning draw | 18 (46.15%) |
| Matches won Throws lost | 18 (46.15%) |
| Even matches | 0 (0.00%) |
| Matches without results | 3 (7.69%) |
| Greatest team innings | 363/4 (West Indies) |
| Lowest team innings | 92 (India) |
| The biggest chase achieved | 350/9 (New Zealand) |
| Average runs per wicket | 33.97 |
| Average runs per over | 5.3 |
| Average score batting first | 233 |
The upcoming New Zealand vs Sri Lanka match will be played at Seddon Park. The conditions at Seddon Park will also favor the bowlers more and it would not be surprising if the upcoming game also turns out to be a low-scoring contest.
The average first innings total at the venue is 233 runs and anything above 250 is set as a challenging total. 23 games were won by the second team compared to 13 wins by the team that came first. So both New Zealand and Sri Lanka will keep that in mind.
Incidentally, the last ODI match at this venue was also played between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in 2023. It was a low-scoring match and New Zealand registered a 6-wicket win. The Black Caps beat Sri Lanka by just 157 runs before chasing down a total of 33 overs.
Conclusion:
The second ODI between New Zealand and Sri Lanka promises to be an exciting affair. Since it is a series, both teams will be looking for a win in the upcoming game.
