Mumbai, March 15: The Sri Lankan team have arrived in Mumbai to play their first and only away game of the ICC World Cup 2011 here on March 18.
Key bowler Angelo Mathews spoke to the media as the Lankan team prepared for their last match of the league phase. The Sri Lankan pacer is quite happy to face-off against the Black Caps at Wankhede Stadium in a day/night affair.
"It's not a big deal. The conditions are similar to Sri Lanka and the wickets are also slow. We have also played in India often," said the all-rounder.
Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara had earlier expressed his displeasure at having to play their last league game in India despite being co-hosts for the mega-event.
"We were surprised when we learnt that we will have to travel to Mumbai to play that game (against New Zealand). I thought hosts play at home," he remarked.
"Playing the New Zealand game is beyond our control. You can't change that now. That's gone now and we need to be up for the task," the Lanka captain had stated.
Mathews sees the match against the Kiwis as a good contest against a performing side. "New Zealand have been playing good cricket and we have also been playing well. It would be a good challenge," he said.
As both Sri Lanka and New Zealand from Group A have already qualified for the quarter-finals, the match on Friday will decide the teams’ positions in the knock-out round.
