New Zealand defeated Sri Lanka by 5 runs in the second and final T20I of the series. They defended 108 runs and levelled the T20I series. Both teams won one game each and the series will be shared.
Sri Lanka won the first game by 4 wickets. It was a must-win match for the Kiwis and the bowlers put in an excellent performance.
Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl. Nuwan Thushara got the hosts off to a flying start as he clean-bowled Tim Robinson on the first delivery of the game. Mark Chapman (2 runs) also got out cheaply. Glenn Phillips too failed to get going. He scored 4 runs and was dismissed on the first ball after powerplay. Michael Bracewell was gone for a duck in the same over.
New Zealand were 33-4 in 6.5 overs. Will Young (30 runs) was the highest run-scorer for the visitors. His partnership of 27 runs alongside Glenn Phillips was important. Josh Clarkson (24 runs) had a match-winning partnership of 32 runs with skipper Mitchell Santner (19 runs).
New Zealand could manage only 108 runs in 19.3 overs. Wanindu Hasaranga picked up 4 wickets with Matheesha Pathirana picking up 3. Nuwan Thushara picked up a couple of wickets. Theekshana picked up a wicket as well.
Lockie Ferguson’s hat-trick helped New Zealand win a thriller of a game
Chasing 109 runs, Sri Lanka lost Kusal Mendis in the third over. Kusal Perera got out on the final ball of the powerplay. Then Kamindu Mendis got out and Charith Asalanka followed him next ball. Pathum Nissanka (52 runs) was the lone fighter for the hosts.
The Kiwi bowlers never allowed the Sri Lankan batters to bat freely. They were pretty consistent with their lines and lengths. Sri Lanka needed 8 runs in the last over with 3 wickets in hand. Glenn Phillips kept his cool and picked up 3 wickets in 5 balls to seal the deal for his team.
Lockie Ferguson picked up a hat-trick. He picked up 3 wickets and bowled only two overs due to a calf injury. Michael Bracewell picked up 2 wickets. Captain Mitchell Santner and Zakary Foulkes ended up one wicket each.
Both teams will now compete in a 3-match ODI series. The first ODI will be on 13th November 2024 at Dambulla.
