A captain’s knock by Charith Asalanka steered Sri Lanka to a hard-fought four-wicket victory over New Zealand with six balls to spare in Saturday’s Twenty20 opener in Dambulla.
Chasing a modest 136, Sri Lanka’s batsman struggled to capitalise in opposition to the second-string visiting group.
However an important 38-run stand for the sixth wicket between Asalanka and Wanindu Hasaranga steadied the ship and inched the group to victory.
“Total it’s a good win,” Asalanka mentioned, “We should always have restricted them to 110 or 120 however they did properly with the decrease order.”
ALSO READ: Don’t choose Virat Kohli on present type, Australia sequence may change all of it: Ricky Ponting
The stand was damaged when Hasaranga went for a giant shot off Zakary Foulkes however fell brief, caught at mid-on by Kiwi captain Mitchell Santner and departing for 22.
Left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage, who took three of New Zealand’s wickets after the vacationers opted to bat, sealed Sri Lanka’s win in type when he pulled Jacob Duffy for a six over mid-wicket.
Asalanka completed unbeaten on a well-judged 35 off 28 balls.
New Zealand’s below-par whole had given Sri Lanka some respiration room.
Prime-order batsman Kusal Perera etched his title within the report books, surpassing Tillakaratne Dilshan to change into Sri Lanka’s highest run-scorer in T20s together with his quickfire 23 off 17 balls.
New Zealand’s 135 all out was the third-lowest whole in T20Is in Dambulla.
“It’s a problem to regulate to circumstances,” Santner mentioned, ”At midway we felt that we are able to defend it however a few partnerships took it away from us.”
“We had been anticipating 160 after profitable the toss however the dew settled in and it was onerous to carry the ball and that’s in all probability meals for thought tomorrow.”
Recent from a commanding red-ball sequence win in India, the touring facet arrived within the island nation lacking Tom Blundell, Rachin Ravindra and different stalwarts who’re resting for an upcoming Take a look at battle in opposition to England.
All-rounder Michael Bracewell confirmed some combat with 27 off 24, together with two fours and a six.
New Zealand managed to go previous 100 after a gutsy 39-run stand for the ninth wicket between Ish Sodhi and Foulkes.
Foulkes, joint top-scorer with 27 off 16, hit a 4 and a six to assist the Kiwis salvage some pleasure earlier than Sodhi’s departure on 10 within the closing over.
New Zealand handed a debut to wicketkeeper-batsman Mitchell Hay, who was caught off a Matheesha Pathirana supply on his second ball for nought.
The second and closing match of the sequence is on the identical venue on Sunday.