Table of Contents
Recent Match History (Last 7 Encounters)
| Date | Format | Venue | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25-02-2026 | T20I | Colombo | New Zealand | Won by 61 runs |
| 11-01-2025 | ODI | Auckland | Sri Lanka | Won by 140 runs |
| 08-01-2025 | ODI | Hamilton | New Zealand | Won by 113 runs |
| 04-01-2025 | ODI | Wellington | New Zealand | Won by 9 wickets |
| 02-01-2025 | T20I | Nelson | Sri Lanka | Won by 7 runs |
| 30-12-2024 | T20I | Mt. Maunganui | New Zealand | Won by 45 runs |
| 28-12-2024 | T20I | Mt. Maunganui | New Zealand | Won by 8 runs |
Upcoming Series Schedule & Venues
| Date | Format | Venue | Match Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16-01-2027 | 1st ODI | McLean Park, Napier | Day Match |
| 19-01-2027 | 2nd ODI | Sky Stadium, Wellington | Day Match |
| 22-01-2027 | 3rd ODI | University Oval, Dunedin | Day Match |
| 26-01-2027 | 1st T20I | Hagley Oval, Christchurch | Night Match |
| 29-01-2027 | 2nd T20I | Saxton Oval, Nelson | Day/Night Match |
| 31-01-2027 | 3rd T20I | Saxton Oval, Nelson | Day Match |
| 04-02-2027 | 1st Test | Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui | 5-Day Test |
| 12-02-2027 | 2nd Test | Seddon Park, Hamilton | 5-Day Test |
Head-to-Head Summary
| Format | Total Played | New Zealand Wins | Sri Lanka Wins | No Result / Tied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test Matches | 38 | 18 | 10 | 10 |
| ODIs | 102 | 52 | 42 | 8 |
| T20Is | 24 | 14 | 9 | 1 |
Most Memorable Match – The Epic Thriller!
| Match | Venue | Scorecards | Turning Point | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd T20I (2025) | Saxton Oval, Nelson | SL: 218/5, NZ: 211/7 | Kusal Perera 100, Last-over defending by Madushanka | Sri Lanka won by 7 runs |
Major Tournament Matches Between Them
| Tournament | Stage | Winner | Margin | Key Performer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T20 World Cup 2026 | Super 8s | New Zealand | Won by 61 runs | Rachin Ravindra (32 runs & 4/27) |
| ODI World Cup 2023 | Group Stage | New Zealand | Won by 5 wickets | Trent Boult (3/37) |
| T20 World Cup 2022 | Super 12s | New Zealand | Won by 65 runs | Glenn Phillips (104 runs) |
Key Performance Table
| Player Name | Team | Match Impact | Key Metric | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rachin Ravindra | New Zealand | All-Round Dominance | 4 wickets & 32 runs (T20 WC) | All-Rounder |
| Kusal Perera | Sri Lanka | Explosive Batting | 100 off 52 balls (Nelson T20I) | Wicketkeeper-Batsman |
| Mitchell Santner | New Zealand | Spin Containment | Economy 4.75 in T20 WC | Left-arm Spinner |
| Kamindu Mendis | Sri Lanka | Middle-Order Stability | 31 runs off 23 balls vs NZ | Left-handed Batsman |
The Battlefield: Tactical Power-Plays & Record Breakers (2025-26)
| Phase / Record | Team Dominating | Highest Score In Phase | Striking Weapon |
|---|---|---|---|
| T20I Powerplay (1-6 Overs) | New Zealand | 68/1 (Mount Maunganui) | Finn Allen |
| ODI Middle Overs (11-40 Overs) | Sri Lanka | 185/3 (Auckland) | Charith Asalanka |
| Death Overs Bowling (16-20 Overs) | New Zealand | 3 wickets for 12 runs (Colombo) | Matt Henry |
The Tactical Edge: Strategic Matchups & Squad Dynamics
| Strategic Battle | Sri Lanka Plan | New Zealand Plan | Projected Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Left-Arm Pace vs Openers | Madushanka swing away | Boult/Henry seam movement | Balanced |
| Spin Squeeze vs Middle Order | Hasaranga & Theekshana duo | Santner & Sodhi chokehold | Sri Lanka |
| Pace Barrage vs Tail-enders | Chameera yorker length | Ferguson short-ball attack | New Zealand |
History Re-Written: Every Record Smashed in the 2025/26 Season
| Record Broken | Previous Record | New Record Set | Achieved By |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest Individual T20I Score vs NZ | 84 runs | 102 runs | Kusal Perera |
| Best T20 WC Bowling Figures (NZ vs SL) | 3/20 | 4/27 | Rachin Ravindra |
| Largest ODI Run Victory (SL vs NZ) | 112 runs | 140 runs | Sri Lanka (Auckland) |
Pace vs. Power: The Brutal Numbers Behind the World’s Fastest Bowlers
| Bowler Name | Team | Top Speed Clocked | Wickets in 2025-26 | Dot Ball % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lockie Ferguson | New Zealand | 151.4 km/h | 8 | 52.3% |
| Dushmantha Chameera | Sri Lanka | 146.5 km/h | 6 | 46.8% |
| Matt Henry | New Zealand | 142.1 km/h | 9 | 55.1% |
The Captain’s Gambit: Genius Strategic Moves that Flipped the Game
| Match Scenario | Captain’s Move | Intended Target | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| T20 WC Super 8s | Santner introducing Ravindra early | Pathum Nissanka | Caught out first ball, triggered collapse |
| Nelson T20I | Asalanka keeping Madushanka for 20th | Glenn Phillips | Defended 14 runs, giving SL a tight win |
The “Fortress” Chronicles: Epic Stadium Face-offs & Crowd Dominance (2025-26)
| Stadium Venue | Host Advantage | Average 1st Innings Score | Crowd Capacity Impact | Win Ratio (NZ:SL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R. Premadasa, Colombo | Sri Lanka | 145 runs | High spin-friendly noise | 1:0 |
| Saxton Oval, Nelson | New Zealand | 195 runs | Open windy conditions | 0:1 |
| Bay Oval, Mt. Maunganui | New Zealand | 178 runs | Fast true bounce | 2:0 |
