New Zealand’s recent ODI loss to Sri Lanka in Dambulla may have been a setback, but it provided valuable lessons for the young Kiwi squad. With three debutants in the lineup, the match offered an opportunity to observe and learn from the hosts’ mastery of unfamiliar conditions.
Michael Bracewell, one of the debutants, emphasized the importance of adapting to the unique challenges of playing in Sri Lanka. “The conditions here are very different from what we face back home,” he said. “We need to bank these experiences and learn from them to become better players.”
Sri Lanka’s openers, Kusal Mendis and Avishka Fernando, showcased their expertise on a sluggish pitch, amassing a 206-run partnership that set the tone for the match. Bracewell acknowledged the significance of partnerships, noting that the Mendis-Fernando duo’s contribution “changed the game.”
Despite a promising start from New Zealand’s openers, Will Young and Tim Robinson, the chase faltered after their dismissals. Bracewell, who remained unbeaten on 34, expressed regret over not taking the game on earlier. “I could have taken the game on a little bit earlier,” he said. “We didn’t quite time the chase very well.”
The match highlighted the challenges of batting on Sri Lankan wickets, where spin is often dominant. However, Bracewell emphasized that batters can still succeed on such surfaces. “The batters played really well,” he said. “We’ll have to keep coming up with different answers and throwing different things at the Sri Lankan batters throughout the series.”
