Having lost the Tests and the ODI series, Sri Lanka will look to end the tour on a high by weaving some magic in the shortest format of the game.
Sri Lanka will play the first T20 of the two-match series against New Zealand at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Thursday.
With the ICC World T20 2016 on the horizon, both the sides will look to get their team combinations correct.
Sri Lanka have been completely outplayed in this tour so far. They have one more chance to salvage some pride. As they still have the tag of the No.1 T20 side according to the ICC rankings, Sri Lankan fans will want them to justify that tag.
Neither Sri Lanka nor New Zealand played too many T20 internationals in 2015. Sri Lanka will also have the opportunity to fine tune their lineups with the Asia Cup and a series against India.
But New Zealand only have another three T20 internationals against Pakistan, apart from the two against SL, and a couple of warm up games in India ahead of the ICC World T20, which is set to start in March.
Sri Lanka will have to take the field without their captain Lasith Malinga, after the bowling spearhead was ruled out of the T20 series because of an injury. Dinesh Chanidmal will be the stand-in skipper for these two T20 matches against the Kiwis.
On the other hand, New Zealand will be without their first choice seamer Tim Southee, as he has been ruled out with a foot injury.
"We've got to be able to rely on a number of different players to perform. With Tim as an example we get injuries from time to time, and we've got to make sure we're good enough that we don't have to change the way we play," New Zealand coach Mike Hesson told reporters.
"We've got a number of quicks. We'll give some players different opportunities during these T20s, and hopefully they will grab them."
Corey Anderson is back into the Black Caps T20 side, but as a specialist batsman in the middle order. Anderson can hit the white ball a long way into the stands and Sri Lanka's bowlers will be aware of the left-hander's power.
Squads: New Zealand: Kane Williamson (C), Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Corey Anderson, Colin Munro, Mitchell Santner, Luke Ronchi (wk), Adam Milne, Trent Boult, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi.
Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Danushka Gunathilaka , Dinesh Chandimal (C & wk), Angelo Mathews, Milinda Siriwardana, Chamara Kapugedera, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Sachithra Senanayake, Dushmantha Chameera, Jeffrey Vandersay.
Where to Watch Live
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 1st T20 is scheduled for a 3 pm local time (7:30 am IST, 2 am GMT) start with no live TV coverage of the match in India.
Ten Sports will broadcast the match live in Sri Lanka, while Sky Sport is the place to be to watch the 1st T20 match of the two-match series in New Zealand. The live streaming option will be available on Sky Go NZ.
Viewers in the US can catch all the action from New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 1st T20 live on Willow TV, with the live stream option on Willow TV Online.
Fox Sports will show New Zealand vs Sri Lanka live in Australia.
Sky Sports is also the channel which will broadcast the 1st T20 international in the UK and Ireland, while the match can also be live streamed on Sky Go.
