COLOMBO: Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne won the toss and opted to bat in the second and final test against New Zealand in Colombo on Thursday.
The start was delayed due to rain and three hours of play were lost on the opening day of a match New Zealand must win to level the series after the hosts won the opener in Galle by six wickets.
Both teams made one change from the first test with New Zealand bringing in seam bowling all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme for specialist spinner Mitchell Santner.
The hosts drafted in off-spinner Dilruwan Perera for Akila Dananjaya, who was reported by the umpires for a suspect bowling action after his six-wicket match haul in Galle.