KARACHI: Comparatively, and judging by mere statistics, there is not much to choose between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in the One-day International format. In 98 matches thus far, the Black Caps are in front with 48 victories to Sri Lanka’s 41 with one game tied while eight were no-result verdicts.

Since the start of 2015, New Zealand have overwhelmingly dominated Sri Lanka with 11 wins in 16 matches and just three losses with two matches concluding in no result and current form offers slim hopes for the islanders to turn the tables against a side which only reached the World Cup final in 2015, losing easily to Trans-Tasman rivals Australia.

The reigning world champions open their 2019 campaign against Afghanistan after the two sides met just once. Their corresponding fixture four years ago was a cruel mismatch as the minnows crashed to a massive 275-run walloping at the now defunct WACA Ground in Perth on March 4.

That day David Warner was in rampant mood with a punishing innings of 178 before Steve Smith piled further miseries with 95 and Glen Maxwell thrashed 88 from mere 39 deliveries before the Aussies finished at a commanding 417-6. Afghanistan’s response with the bat lasted 37.3 overs before they were sent packing for 142 by the fearsome pace of Mitchell Johnson (4-22).

Coming back to New Zealand-Sri Lanka games on the biggest stage, five of the eight matches were won by team batting second, but the last two saw team successfully defending the total.

However, the Sri Lankans are on equal footing with New Zealand in World Cup encounters over the previous 40 years with each nation winning four times; in the three mega event fixtures staged in England, New Zealand won the first two with Sri Lanka clinching their last meeting there in the return match of the 1983 tournament.

Head-to-head summary

June 9, 1979 — Trent Bridge, New Zealand won by nine wickets

June 13, 1983 — Bristol, New Zealand won by five wickets

June 18, 1983 — Derby, Sri Lanka won by three wickets

Feb 25, 1992 — Hamilton, New Zealand won by six wickets

Feb 10, 2003 — Bloemfontein, Sri Lanka won by 47 runs

April 12, 2007 — St George’s, Sri Lanka won by six wickets

March 18, 2011 — Mumbai, Sri Lanka won by 112 runs

Feb 14, 2015 — Christchurch, New Zealand won by 98 runs.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2019