Final over drama sees New Zealand win the T20I series 2-1
With the series levelled at 1-1 after the first two matches, the decider in Queenstown was full of intrigue and drama as New Zealand secured a nervy final-over victory.
The third match followed a similar pattern to the opening game with the hosts involved in a high-scoring chase.
The Black Caps won the toss and asked Sri Lanka to bat first. A solid opening stand between Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis put the visitors on track and despite losing wickets at regular intervals, they managed to put up a daunting 182/6 in their 20 overs.
Mendis was the star of the show, smashing 73 (48), studded with six fours and four sixes. The last few wickets hurt the Lankans as they could only manage to score only 14 from the last two overs (just three off the final one) and that perhaps proved decisive at the end.
New Zealand manage to hold their nerve and win the third T20I to seal the series 2-1 π#NZvSL | π Scorecard: https://t.co/jA9mvHSR1E pic.twitter.com/YHMHD2Womo
— ICC (@ICC) April 8, 2023
New Zealand began in much the same fashion as the second T20I and were immediately cruising, the openers going at 10 runs an over.
Tim Seifert was at is usual destructive self and even after Chad Bowes' wicket continued plundering runs with Tom Latham.
It looked pretty straightforward for the hosts until the 15th over when Latham was bowled by Maheesh Theekshana, ending the 84-run second-wicket stand. New Zealand were further dented with Seifert's wicket two overs later but with less than 30 runs needed, they would have fancied their chances of getting through with ease.
However, the Lankans refused to go down without a fight and bowled economically. 10 runs were needed off the final over and Mark Chapman hit a powerful six on the first ball off Lahiru Kumara, bringing down the equation to 4 from 5 balls with 7 wickets in hand but that's when things got interesting.
Kumara then removed Chapman, Jimmy Neesham was run-out on the next ball on a wide delivery and Daryl Mitchell was caught trying to go big as the hosts lost three wickets on successive deliveries.
With 3 runs needed off 4 balls, Adam Milne sneaked in a bye, almost getting run-out in the process. Rachin Ravindra held his nerve eventually as New Zealand won the match with one ball to spare.
After dominating the ODI leg of the tour, New Zealand were in for a surpirise when they faced Sri Lanka in the first T20I in Auckland last week.
A tense high-scoring thriller saw the visitors win the game in a Super Over with explosive fifties from Kusal Perera and Charith Asalanka powering Sri Lanka to a huge total. In reply, New Zealand were 3/2 in their chase of 197 but an excellent knock from Daryl Mitchell and supporting knocks from Tom Latham and Mark Chapman kept them in the hunt.
Charith Asalanka delivers in a gripping T20I!
— ICC (@ICC) April 2, 2023
The left-hander made 67 in Sri Lanka's innings before more heroics in the Super Over to beat New Zealand π#NZvSL scorecard: https://t.co/Qlt04iZn0c pic.twitter.com/ttLANonFwr
With 13 runs needed in the last over, Rachin Ravindra and the newcomer Henry Shipley were at the crease. However, Dasun Shanaka struck with the first ball removing Ravindra.
Ish Sodhi, the new batter, along with Shipley kept the scorecard ticking and brought down the equation to seven off the final ball.
All looked lost for the hosts but Sodhi dispatched a friendly half-volley on the pads over deep mid-wicket for a maximum to tie the game.
The Black Caps however could only score 8 runs in the Super Over thanks to a superb bowling performance from Maheesh Theekshana.
With just nine to win, Asalanka smashed a couple of lofty shots to give the visitors a much deserved victory in the opening game of the series.
New Zealand balanced the scales in the second match with a dominating performance. Not a single Sri Lankan batter scored a fifty as Adam Milne took his first five-wicket haul in T20Is, helping his team bowl out Sri Lanka for 141. Kusal Perera (35) and Dhananjaya de Silva (37) were the only two batters with scores above 30.
Adam Milne starred in New Zealandβs win over Sri Lanka in the second #NZvSL T20I π₯
— ICC (@ICC) April 5, 2023
Scorecard π: https://t.co/kIx9pRirxP pic.twitter.com/RTfdfzO5Hj
The hosts got going from the start with Tim Seifert leading the charge. The first-wicket partnership reached 40 in the fourth over, before Kasun Rajith struck to remove Chad Bowes (31). Captain Tom Latham then joined Seifert to inflict more misery. Together they put up a century-stand to deny the Lankan bowlers. Seifert's 79* off just 43 balls eventually led New Zealand to a nine-wicket victory within 15 overs.
New Zealand will now travel to Pakistan next week for a white-ball series, while Sri Lanka will host Ireland at home for two Tests.