Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium is all set to host the SL vs ZIM ODI matches in January. The first ODI will be played on January 6 followed by the next two on January 8 and 11 respectively. The two teams will also play a three-match T20I series after the ODI series.
Sri Lanka will be led by a new skipper in Kusal Mendis in the upcoming ODI series. The management led by Chief Selector Upul Tharanga named three new captains across formats for Sri Lanka. While Mendis was named the ODI skipper, Wanindu Hasaranga was named the new T20I skipper while Dhahnajaya de Silva the new Test skipper.
Sri Lanka kicks off their 2024 season at home against a relatively weaker Zimbabwe side. They have the team to go for the kill and win the cleansweep Zimbabwe in the white-ball formats. Zimbabwe met Sri Lanka in the ODI World Cup qualifiers earlier this year. They lost 2-1 to Sri Lanka the last time they toured Sri Laka in 2021-22 Zimbabwe won the the previous ODI series between the two sides in the 2017-28 season 3-2 which was also played in Sri Lanka.
Zimbabwe will be led by Craig Ervine. They lost an ODI series against Ireland heading into this series. Ervine the skipper will need support from his senior players if they are to beat Sri Lanka at home. They have not played top-class ODI teams in recent times and tackling the Sri Lankan bowling attack might be an issue for the side.
The two teams have played 61 ODIs with the Lankans winning 47 games and the Aftercan nation 12. Two matches have ended in no-result. The two teams have played just three T20Is with Sri Lanka winning all three. Sri Lanka have won 14 of the 20 Test matches played between the two sides. Zimbabwe are yet to win a Test match against Sri Lanka.
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SL vs ZIM Weather Report Live Today And Pitch Report Of R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Stadium – 1st ODI, 2024
The SL vs ZIM ODIs start from 2.30 pm IST. All the three ODIs will be played in Colombo. The venue has hosted over 160 ODIs with teams batting first winning 88 games and the team batting second winning 63. The average first innings score is close to 250 while the average second innings score is close to 200. Rain has been a major problem in hosting cricket matches in Sri Lanka in recent times.
The Asia Cup 2023 was a prime example. The tournament was held between August and September last year with rain playing spoilsport in many games. The SLC even thought about shifting some of the matches to Colombo while the final which was won by India also had a rain forecast.
Speaking about the SL vs ZIM 1st ODI, there are thunderstorms expected in the day and in the night. The weather around the day will be around 30 degrees and by the night will fall to 25 degrees. Humidity will be around 80 percent with more than 70 percent chance of rain in the evening. Rain has been a major factor in cricket matches getting shortened or abandoned at the venue.
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