Tash Farrant
England bowler on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Image source, Getty Images

I like what I have seen from Sri Lanka especially from Chamari Athapaththu.

Athapaththu is walking down the wicket and as bowler it's a scary sign - she's walking nonchalantly.

New Zealand's seamers have been sloppy. There's been a no-ball and four wides within the first three overs.

Tidy from Tahuhu. Until she goes wide down the leg side as well. They are obviously trying to bowl straight on this wicket.

SHOT! Beautiful shot from Vishmi Gunaratne to cut for four through point.

Change of bowling already as Lea Tahuhu comes on for NZ.

Eden Carson did say to the umpire that she didn't think she had touched the ball and it looked like she didn't, so no wicket.

Tash Farrant
England bowler on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Eden Carson went to field it and it was a terrible misfield, but somehow it found its way onto the stumps.

They need to ask Carson for a bit of honesty!

Vishmi Gunaratne hits a shot down the ground, it hits the stumps and Chamari Athapaththu is well out of her ground at the non-striker's end.

Did it hit Eden Carson's fingers on the way though? It's really hard to tell!

Is this a run out?

Image source, Getty Images

A long hop is punched away for four by Chamari Athapaththu. The captain got on top of that and cut it away nicely.

This is a shoddy start from New Zealand.

Rosemary Mair's bowling average of 6.8 at this Women’s T20 World Cup is the best of any New Zealand player in the history of the tournament.

Eden Carson is on from the other end.

Tash Farrant
England bowler on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Image source, Getty Images

Nutmegged straight through the legs of Izzy Gaze. That's a bit embarrassing!

Rosemary Mair has lost a bit of rhythm too. It is not what you want to do in the hottest part of the day.

Rosemary Mair throws up a good slower ball to negate the free hit but it does Izzy Gaze behind the stumps and trundles away for four byes. Now a wide.

This is an expensive start.

Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by 10 wickets when they last met in a T20 international in July 2023. They had lost all 12 matches in the format against the White Ferns prior to that game.

Image source, Getty Images

Vishmi Gunaratne flicks one through the leg side to get the team off the mark, and captain Chamari Athapaththu finds a single off an inside edge as well.

All tight and controlled from Rosemary Mair - ah but she has now bowled a no-ball.

Tash Farrant
England bowler on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

New Zealand will be the favourites for sure, but they will have the fear that it could be Chamari Athapaththu's day.

Rosemary Mair has been brilliant in this tournament, she's taken six wickets so far.

Rosemary Mair thumps into the pads first ball. It's going down leg side but a nervy start for the Sri Lankans.

Ah, there was a big inside edge as well. Apart from that an excellent appeal.

Here we go then.

Romemary Mair is going to open the bowling.

Katherine Sciver-Brunt
Ex-England bowler on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Image source, Getty Images

Sri Lanka are no longer a nation who get intimated by fast bowlers, but if Chamari Athapaththu doesn't fire they often lose.

When Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup people thought there could be an upset [at this World Cup] - they'll be very disappointed with the tournament they've had.

Former England captain Nasser Hussain is faster between countries than he was between the wickets. He was in Pakistan about 10 hours ago and now he's presenting live from the UAE.

Slow down Nass.

Terrific anthem from New Zealand complete will 80s electric guitar on the backing track. The crowd is several levels below 'disappointing.'