Preview: Sri Lanka vs New Zealand Semi Final match Cricket World Cup 2011

THE ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 has now almost reached its final destination. In the first Semi Final of the ongoing Cricket World Cup,  Sri Lanka will meet New Zealand at R. Premadasa Stadium, in Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Thursday, March 29.
In the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup also, Sri Lanka and New Zealand had met in the  first Semi Final match played at Sabina Park, Kingston in Jamaica, where the Lankans had  won that match by 81 runs. Then, Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene had scored a brilliant 115 runs, whereas all time great spinner Muttiah Muralitharan sent four Kiwis batsman back to the pavilion.
In the last league match of Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, the Lankans defeated Kiwis by a big margin of 112 runs at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 18th.
In the journey to the Semi Final of the Cricket World Cup 2011, Sri Lanka started the campaign against qualifier Canada with a big victory. In the next match, they lost against Pakistan in a close match by 11 runs.
The Lankans won by nine wickets against another qualifier Kenya in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. In its fourth match against defending champion Australia, the match was washed away due to rain. In the fifth match Sri Lanka routed Zimbabwe by 139 runs.
In its Quarter Final match, Sri Lanka thrashed the English team by 10 wickets at R Premadasa Stadium, in Colombo on Saturday, March 26. Both Sri Lankan openers Tharanga and Dilshan knocked a brilliant hundred.
New Zealand, which is playing its fifth Semi Final in the Cricket World Cup is in  full rhythm in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. They have lost two matches in the group league one against Australia by seven wickets and another against host Lankans.
New Zealand team won two matches by the margin of 10 wickets against minnows of the group, Kenya and Zimbabwe. In the third Quarter Final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, the Kiwis defeated one of the strongest contenders of the tournament South Africa by 49 runs.
Withboth the teams having strong batting, who ever wins the toss will like to bat first at R Premadasa Stadium. Sri Lankan crowd will definitely cheer for their country in the first Semi Final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. In this situation, it will be very interesting to see whether New Zealand will be able to make first appearance in the finals of the Cricket World Cup.
Here are the Sri Lanka and New Zealand squads in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011:
Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk), Mahela Jayawardene (vice capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath.
New Zealand:  Daniel Vettori (capt), Hamish Bennett, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Jamie How, Brendon McCullum (wk), Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson, Luke Woodcock.