Sri Lanka and New Zealand will be taking on each other in the second game of the three-match ODI series on Sunday (November 17). The second SL vs NZ ODI will be played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele.
The hosts are currently leading the series after winning the first game earlier this week. Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by 45 runs (DLS method) in the series opener. Riding on centuries from opener Avishka Fernando and Kusal Mendis, Sri Lanka scored 324/5 in 49.2 overs.
New Zealand were given a revised total of 221 runs in 27 overs. The tourists started well and were 88 for no loss before suffering an inexplicable collapse. New Zealand eventually finished their innings on a disappointing 175/9.
With the series on the line, New Zealand will be desperate to turn things around in the forthcoming game while Sri Lanka will be eyeing another win. So before the game gets underway, here are the weather and pitch reports for the second SL vs NZ ODI.
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SL vs NZ Weather Report And Pitch Report of Pallekele– 2nd ODI, New Zealand tour of Sri Lanka 2024
The second Sri Lanka vs New Zealand ODI will be played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele on Sunday (November 17). According to the weather forecast, the chances of rain are more than 50 percent at around 2:30 PM when the game is scheduled to start.
While the forecast is promising for the evening and night, the start of the game could be delayed due to rain and a wet outfield. Just like the first SL vs NZ ODI, the second ODI could also see the loss of overs due to the weather conditions.
During the first half of the game, the temperature will be hovering between 25-30 degrees Celsius and will drop to early 20s at night. At night, the humidity is predicted to be more than 90 percent.
SL vs NZ Pitch Analysis
Stats of Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele:
| Matches Played | 42 |
| Matches Won by Home Side | 21 (50.00%) |
| Matches Won by Touring Side | 16 (38.10%) |
| Matches Won by Neutral Side | 3 (7.14%) |
| Matches Won Batting First | 16 (37.21%) |
| Matches Won Batting Second | 24 (55.81%) |
| Matches Won Winning Toss | 20 (46.51%) |
| Matches Won Losing Toss | 20 (46.51%) |
| Matches Tied | 0 (0.00%) |
| Matches with No Result | 2 (4.76%) |
| Highest Team Innings | 381/3 (Sri Lanka) |
| Lowest Team Innings | 70 (Zimbabwe) |
| Highest Run Chase Achieved | 314/6 (Sri Lanka) |
| Average Runs per Wicket | 32.3 |
| Average Runs per Over | 5.53 |
| Average Score Batting First | 246 |
The Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is not known as a very high-scoring ground. The average first innings total here is 246 runs. It won’t be surprising if the team batting first manages to win the game after posting anything above 240 or 250.
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Conclusion:
The upcoming second SL vs NZ ODI is likely to be interrupted by rain. As a result, DLS could come into play in this game as well. Teams would like to bowl first after winning the toss. The overcast condition would make the conditions favourable for pace bowling and New Zealand will be hoping to make the most of it as they look to draw level in the series.