Sri Lanka’s decade-long wait sustained as New Zealand beat the hosts by 5 runs at Dambulla yesterday (10) to level their T20I series 1-1. Sri Lanka’s last T20 series win against New Zealand was way back in November 2013 at Pallekele. Incidentally, this is (108) the third lowest totals defended in T20Is and the lowest by the Kiwis. The hosts won the first game by 4 wickets.
Nuwan Thushara on-going off the game with a bang by sending Tim Robinson out for a golden duck in the very first delivery of the game. In a captivating note, Mark Chapman fell as Thushara’s second victim, yet again in the opening ball of his second over. Later, ex-skipper Wanindu Hasaranga struck back-to-back in the sixth over to make life hard for the Kiwis. Pain-ridden Hasaranga limping due to a possible hamstring issue added sorrow to the visitors as he put them 48/5 in the ninth over.
Meanwhile, Matheesha Pathirana rattled the Black Caps lower order by bagging 3 successive wickets. Only three Kiwi batters were able to go past double figures as they were bundled out for a meagre 108 runs.
Oozing with assurance after a morale boosting series win against the Windies at the same venue and winning the series opener against Kiwis, chasing a relaxed target of 109 runs, the Lankan openers fell like a pack of cards gasping for life at 34/4 whilst Lockie Ferguson 33, became the fifth New Zealand bowler to pick a hat-trick in T20Is as KJP, Kamindu and skipper Asalanka fell prey to the Kiwi pacer. Soon after the Black Caps were in cloud nine as they sent danger man Bhanuka, Hasaranga and last batting hope Wellalage back to the dressing room in quick succession (SL 82/7).
Cool as a cucumber, Pathum Nissanka who perhaps got ice running through his veins carried the weight of a nation’s hope of back-to-back series wins and scored his 13th T20I half century. However, his dismissal in the last gasp hit the nail in the coffin for Lanka as the lower order crumbled in the final over.
Both teams will meet again in the 1st ODI on Wednesday (13) at Dambulla.
Brief scores:
New Zealand 108 (19.3) – (Will Young 30, Josh Clarkson 24, Mitchell Santner 19, Wanindu Hasaranga 4/17, Matheesha Pathirana 3/11, Nuwan Thushara 2/22)
Sri Lanka 103 (19.5) – (Pathum Nissanka 52, Bhanuka Rajapaksa 15, Lockie Ferguson 3/7, Glenn Philipps 3/6, Michael Bracewell 2/23)
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