India, New Zealand to play tri series in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, India and New Zealand will play a triangular series in Sri Lanka in September, ahead of the Champions Trophy.

The series would be hosted by Sri Lanka and the itinerary for the event would be released soon.

"Sri Lanka will host India and New Zealand in a tri-series of one-day internationals in September 2009," BCCI secretary N Srinivasan said in a statement on Saturday.

The teams will play each other once, and the top two teams will meet in the final. Thus, a total of four matches will be played," the statement added.

The tournament is the result of discussions with Indian and New Zealand officials during the ICC meeting at Lord’s this week.
“We came to an agreement in discussions we had with the Indian board president Shashank Manohar and secretary N Srinivasan and New Zealand Cricket CEO Justin Vaughan,” Nishantha Ranatunga, secretary Sri Lanka Cricket, was quoted as saying.

“Sri Lanka Cricket would like to express its appreciation to the officials of BCCI for agreeing on an unscheduled tour, which would add an additional commercial benefit to the stakeholders of SLC; moreover a viewing pleasure to the cricket loving public in Sri Lanka,” he added.