Rain May Disrupt Pivotal New Zealand vs Sri Lanka ICC World Cup Match, Semifinal Placement at Stake

New Zealand, currently holding fourth place, needs a win against Sri Lanka to qualify for semi-finals while a washout might allow Pakistan or Afghanistan to overtake them; Sri Lanka is striving to maintain a top-eight position for ICC Champions Trophy qualification.

New Zealand must win the match against Sri Lanka to secure a semi-final spot in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. A washout due to rain could lead to either Pakistan or Afghanistan leapfrogging New Zealand due to the same number of points but a lower net run rate.
Sri Lanka, currently in the eighth position, aims to maintain or improve its rank to qualify for the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025. A recent controversy involving cricketer Angelo Mathews being timed out could potentially affect the team's performance.
The match is scheduled at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium, known for its ability to handle rainfall. However, extended downpour might make it impossible to complete the match. In their previous World Cup encounters, Sri Lanka holds a slight lead with six wins to New Zealand's five.
New Zealand's form has been shaky, with four consecutive losses after a strong start of four victories. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has had a poor run with six losses in their eight games so far.
On team news, New Zealand's Lockie Ferguson is expected to return from an Achilles tendon injury while Matt Henry has been ruled out due to a torn hamstring. For Sri Lanka, despite several injuries including that of captain Dasun Shanaka during the tournament, all players from the previous match are likely to be available for selection.