By Srian Obeyesekere
The second ODI between Sri Lanka and New Zealand was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to incessant rain at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Tuesday. As both sides shared 5 World Cup Super League points it further receded Sri Lanka’s chances of automatic qualification for this year’s ICC Cricket World Cup. New Zealand leads the 3-match series 1-0 having won the opening game by 198 runs at Eden Gardens in Auckland.
The third and final game will be played on March 31 at Seddon Park Hamilton. Sri Lanka entered the series with hopes of the former world champions of 1995-96 gaining automatic qualification for World cricket’s biggest extravaganza depending very much on having to clean sweep New Zealand, but those expectations have been dashed by the last two outcomes.