AUCKLAND – Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bowl in the one-off Twenty20 match against New Zealand in Auckland Friday.
It is Sri Lanka's last chance to notch a win on their tour after losing all three one-day matches and finishing the two-Test series with a loss and a draw.
“We'll see what the bowlers can do and then the batsmen can chase it down,” captain Lasith Malinga said after winning the toss.
Tim Southee, leading New Zealand while Kane Williamson is rested, said he would also have bowled first but “it looks like a good surface so hopefully we can make good use of it.
“It has been a great start to the season and hopefully we can keep the momentum going.”
Scott Kuggeleijn makes his debut for New Zealand and Mitchell Santner returns from an injury lay off while for Sri Lanka Danushka Gunathilaka is injured with Kusal Perera moving up to opener.
New Zealand:
Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Tim Seifert, Henry Nicholls, Ross Taylor, Mitchell Santner, Doug Bracewell, Tim Southee (capt), Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson
Sri Lanka:
Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Thisara Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dasun Shanaka, Lasith Malinga (capt), Lakshan Sandakan, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara
Umpires: Shaun Haig (NZL), Wayne Knights (NZL)
TV Umpire: Chris Brown (NZL)
Match referee: Richie Richardson (WIS)