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NZ vs SL 2024/25, New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 1st T20I, Mount Maunganui Match Report, December 28, 2024

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2 weeks ago

December 29, 2024

NZ vs SL 2024/25, New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 1st T20I, Mount Maunganui Match Report, December 28, 2024

New Zealand 172 for 8 (Mitchell 62, Bracewell 59, Binura 2-22) beat Sri Lanka 164 for 8 (Nissanka 90, Mendis 46, Duffy 3-21) by 8 runs

It was a heist for the ages in Mount Maunganui as New Zealand secured an eight-run win within the first T20I, and with it took a 1-0 lead within the three-match collection. However extra importantly it was a lesson in combat from the hosts, one the guests would do nicely to be aware of.

For a lot of the sport it had seemed Sri Lanka’s to lose. The primary occasion was when New Zealand had been reeling on 65 for five halfway by way of their innings, and the second when Sri Lanka had been cruising after a 121-run opening stand needing simply 52 off 40 deliveries.

On each events New Zealand fought again, and exhausting – initially by way of a 105-run stand between Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell to put up a aggressive 172 for 8, after which lastly by way of a late strangle that noticed Sri Lanka lose eight wickets for 38 runs after being in complete management of proceedings.

Jacob Duffy was on the coronary heart of the collapse with a three-wicket 14th over, as he set the wheels in movement for a sterling New Zealand comeback – which additionally earned him the participant of the match award. Sri Lanka although shall be confused in making an attempt to elucidate how they let this recreation slip.

A collapse for the ages

Sri Lanka thought that they had achieved sufficient – and by all accounts that they had. A 121-run opening stand in chase of 173 would usually have been greater than sufficient. In any case, when Kusal Mendis fell for a brisk 46, Sri Lanka wanted solely one other 52 runs off 40 deliveries with 9 wickets in hand.

Positive, three balls later that equation modified to 52 wanted with seven wickets in hand, after Duffy had made certain Kusal Perera and Kamindu Mendis adopted Kusal to the dressing room. However, certainly not?

Nerves had been eased a bit as Charith Asalanka joined Pathum Nissanka within the center to chip away. However when he fell with 28 nonetheless required off 16, extra doubts crept in. After which when Matt Henry eliminated Nissanka and Bhanuka Rajapaksa within the span of some deliveries, all doubt was eliminated. Sri Lanka wanted 19 off 8, however solely Wanindu Hasaranga may very well be counted on to strike the boundaries wanted.

Hasaranga being run out with out going through a ball within the closing over summed up Sri Lanka’s disastrous finish to the sport.

Binura leads Sri Lanka’s early cost

Mitchell Santner had been involved about a couple of “inexperienced tinge” on the floor having been put in to bat, and after the primary ten overs his considerations appeared warranted as New Zealand had stumbled to 65 for five.

Binura Fernando, enjoying his first T20I in 9 months, proved the best of Sri Lanka’s three seamers regardless of by no means clocking greater than 130kph. He confirmed admirable management and located constant motion within the air regardless of bowling totally on a very good size or barely additional again; the wickets of Tim Robinson and Rachin Ravindra had been simply rewards, and he might need had one other had Charith Asalanka not spilled Mark Chapman at mid-off.

Binura’s opening burst of three overs went for simply 12 runs, earlier than a Hasaranga double-strike within the tenth over actually rammed residence Sri Lanka’s early dominance.

Mitchell and Bracewell counter brutally

If the primary half of the innings belonged to Sri Lanka, the second was nicely and really New Zealand’s. After a few overs treading water, Bracewell signalled his intent to shift gears with a pair of boundaries off Maheesh Theekshana within the 14th, earlier than unloading on an off-colour Matheesha Pathirana an over later – a flicked six into the grass banks and a monster loft over huge long-off the highlights in a 22-run over.

Bracewell’s energy was on complete show from then on as Hasaranga and Binura had been additionally each taken for maximums over the subsequent few overs. And there can be no respite for Sri Lanka on the different finish both, as Mitchell struck in lockstep along with his accomplice, the pair even citing their respective fifties off consecutive deliveries.

In complete, 107 runs had been struck between overs 10-20, with 85 of these coming off the six-over interval from 13-19. Solely a wonderful closing over from Theekshana, the place three wickets fell for simply three runs ensured New Zealand had been stored beneath 180.

Pathirana’s off day

4 overs for 60 runs and a solitary wicket marked a nasty day on the workplace for Pathirana, however it’s the three no-balls (and subsequent free hits) that may little question have Sri Lanka’s teaching workers pulling their hair out. That a kind of accounted for the wicket of Mitchell, when he was on eight, shall be notably grating.

Pathirana additionally struggled with figuring out an efficient size, continuously bowling fuller than preferrred – shocking contemplating the success Binura had had by hitting the deck more durable, to not point out the success Pathirana himself has had with related lengths prior to now.