Hello and welcome to the highlights of the opening day of the first Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand, in Galle on Wednesday (September 18, 2024). A proper day of cricketing action saw Sri Lanka win the toss, opt to have a bat, and take the fight to New Zealand after they were four for just 106. Kamindu Mendis scored a brilliant 114 for the hosts, but William O’Rourke bagged three, while Glenn Phillips picked up two wickets as Sri Lanka notched up 302 runs for the loss of seven at the end of play on Day 1. Follow the highlights and ball-by-ball commentary from the SL vs NZ match. (Streaming | More Cricket News)

Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva won the toss and decided to bat first.

Playing XIs

Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), Kusal Mendis (wk), Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando.

New Zealand: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee (capt), Will O'Rourke.

Sri Lanka are coming into this match on the back of a famous eight-wicket win over England in the latter's backyard. New Zealand, on the other hand, could not get any game time in the controversially abandoned one-off Test against Afghanistan at Greater Noida, where not even a ball could be bowled over the course of five days.