New Zealand cricket team in Sri Lanka in 1986–87

The New Zealand cricket team toured Sri Lanka in 1987, with the intention of playing three test matches and three one day internationals. The first test at Colombo Cricket Club Ground ended in a draw. The second and third Tests were both cancelled because of civil disturbances. The tour was cut short due to a bomb exploding near the New Zealand team's hotel in Colombo. The terrorist bomb responsible for killing 113 civilians was planted by the Tamil Tigers separatist movement and was not targeted towards the touring New Zealand cricket team. However, the team voted overwhelmingly to return home after just one Test of the scheduled three-Test tour. In the aftermath of the incident, no international tours of Sri Lanka were undertaken until 1992.

Test series summary

First Test

16–21 April 1987 (5-day match) Scorecard

Sri Lanka	v	New Zealand
397/9d (173.5 overs) DSBP Kuruppu 201* (548) RJ Hadlee 4/102 (38.5 overs)		406/5 (163 overs) RJ Hadlee 151* (240) JR Ratnayeke 2/111 (37 overs)

Match drawn Colombo Cricket Club Ground, Colombo Umpires: PW Vidanagamage, WAU Wickremasinghe

• New Zealand won the toss and elected to field.
• 17 April was taken as a rest day.
• AH Jones (NZ) and DSBP Kuruppu (SL) made their Test debuts.

Second Test

24–29 April 1987 (5-day match) Scorecard

Sri Lanka	v	New Zealand

Match cancelled Asgiriya Stadium, Kandy

• 27 April was planned as a rest day.

Third Test

5–10 May 1987 (5-day match) Scorecard

Sri Lanka	v	New Zealand

Match cancelled Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo

• 8 May was planned as a rest day.