DAMBULLA: (ePRESS) – Pathum Nissanka’s gritty 13th half-century on a sluggish Dambulla pitch was not enough to seal Sri Lanka’s series win, as New Zealand edged them out by five runs in a thrilling finale. The dramatic clash saw New Zealand square the T20 series 1-1, with key performances from Lockie Ferguson, who claimed a stunning hat-trick, and Glenn Phillips, whose crucial wicket of Nissanka sealed the victory.
Chasing a modest target of 109, Sri Lanka found themselves in a precarious position, needing eight runs off the last over with Nissanka unbeaten on 52. Maheesh Theekshana was at the crease, but the challenge was tough with the team at 101-8. Phillips bowled the final over, and despite the humid conditions making it difficult to grip the ball, Nissanka was dismissed on the second ball, caught at long-on for 52 runs off 51 balls. The Sri Lankan tail then quickly folded, with Matheesha Pathirana stumped on the third delivery, and the home side lost their last two wickets in successive deliveries, leaving them just short by five runs, finishing at 103 all out in 19.5 overs.
The match was a thrill ride for both sides, with the slow and low pitch in Dambulla proving difficult for all the batters. While Sri Lanka struggled to maintain their momentum, Nissanka stood tall, battling through tough conditions and guiding his team towards victory. However, it was the New Zealand bowlers, particularly Ferguson, who took control of the game with his hat-trick that devastated Sri Lanka’s middle order.
Sri Lanka’s chase began poorly with Kusal Mendis falling early, and the rest of the batting line-up followed suit. By the end of the powerplay, Sri Lanka was reeling at 24-2. Ferguson’s hat-trick was the turning point—dismissals of Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, and skipper Charith Asalanka in consecutive deliveries reduced Sri Lanka to 34-4. Despite a 29-run partnership between Nissanka and Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka’s hopes dwindled as Rajapaksa fell for 15. The team couldn’t recover, and although Nissanka fought on, the rest of the batting crumbled, with Theekshana’s 16 off 14 balls being the highest score after Nissanka.
Earlier, New Zealand’s innings had also been troubled by the conditions. Winning the toss, Sri Lanka’s skipper Asalanka chose to bowl, aware of the dew factor under the night sky. Nuwan Thushara provided an early breakthrough, taking the first-ball wicket of Tim Robinson with a yorker. Sri Lanka’s bowlers kept the pressure on, reducing New Zealand to 48-5 by the ninth over, before Matheesha Pathirana’s fiery spell in the 10th over helped push the Kiwis further back.
Wanindu Hasaranga was the standout performer for Sri Lanka, taking four quick wickets, including the dangerous Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell. Hasaranga’s relentless spin also accounted for Mitchell Santner and Will Young, who top-scored for New Zealand with 30 runs. Despite battling injury, Hasaranga’s outstanding bowling earned him the Player of the Series award. However, his struggles with running between the wickets while batting played a role in Sri Lanka’s narrow defeat.
New Zealand, despite being reduced to 108 all out in 19.3 overs, were rescued by their bowlers. Ferguson and Phillips’ key wickets sealed the match for the Black Caps. Ferguson’s hat-trick and Phillips’ key scalp of Nissanka proved decisive, ensuring that Sri Lanka would fall short of their elusive series win.
Brief Scores:
New Zealand: 108 all out in 19.3 overs (Will Young 30, Clarkson 24, Mitchell Santner 19, Glenn Phillips 3-6, Lockie Ferguson 3-7, Michael Bracewell 2-23, Wanindu Hasaranga 4-17, Matheesha Pathirana 3-17, Nuwan Thushara 2-22, Maheesh Theekshana 1-16).
Sri Lanka: 103 all out in 19.5 overs (Pathum Nissanka 52, Bhanuka Rajapaksa 15, Maheesh Theekshana 14, Wanindu Hasaranga 3, Glenn Phillips 3-6, Lockie Ferguson 3-7, Michael Bracewell 2-23, Mitchell Santner 1-14).
