NZ vs SL 1st T20I: Tom Latham leads Kiwi T20I side in rare appearance against Shanka-led Sri Lanka

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand won the toss and chose to bowl Sunday in the first of three Twenty20 internationals against Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka said he also would have bowled because Eden Park famously is a ground on which it is difficult to defend a total.

Tom Latham will captain New Zealand in a rare T20 appearance and in the absence of Tim Southee who is playing in the Indian Premier League. New Zealand has named opener Chad Bowes and seamer Henry Shipley to make their T20 debuts.

Shipley was a success in the previous one-day internationals between the teams, taking eight wickets in the two completed matches.

Sri Lanka has yet to win a match on tour, losing the test series and one-day international series 2-0.

Spinner Wanindu Hasaranga is the No.2-ranked bowler in world T20 cricket and likely will play a major role for Sri Lanka in this series.

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Playing XIs: Check out who is in and who is out

New Zealand: Chad Bowes, Tim Seifert, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Jimmy Neesham, Rachin Ravindra, Adam Milne, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Ben Lister.

Sri Lanka: Patham Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka, Chamika Karunaratne, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Pramod Madushan, Dilshan Madushanka.

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 1st T20I: Match officials

Umpires: Chris Brown and Shaun Haig, New Zealand.

TV umpire: Wayne Knights, New Zealand. Match referee: Jeff Crowe, New Zealand.