New Zealand won a thrilling first T20I when they chased down a pretty stiff Sri Lanka total studded by a superb fifty from Kusal Mendis.
The Black Caps were powered to victory by the experience of Ross Taylor and Colin de Grandhomme in the middle order.
Tuesday 3 September 2019 | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy| 15:30
To Win Match
Sri Lanka
Tie
New Zealand
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka didn’t make a bad start but will feel they had the Black Caps on the back foot early on in the chase and let them off the hook.
In their innings similarly, Sri Lanka started well but the loss of Mendis just as they were eager to get a move on probably shaved fifteen runs or so off their total.
Niroshan Dickwella struggled to get going in the middle-order and appears more at home when the ball is coming on to the bat upfront. Dickwella is in the side as a specialist batsman with opener Kusal Perera taking the gloves. Perera did not impress with the bat and Sri Lanka may be tempted to move Dickwella back up the order and return the wicketkeeping gloves.
Lasith Malinga was brilliant with the new pill in the opening match but the lack of any real back up from the other bowlers paints a bleak future for Sri Lanka when the veteran quits T20I cricket for good.
Akila Dananjaya will need to recover his best form in the format which he used to launch his international career.
New Zealand
The Black Caps would have been happy with the character they showed in the first match fighting back with both bat and ball to earn a comfortable victory.
Resting Kane Williamson, Tim Southee led the team and did so by example putting in a great shift to claim 2/20 in his four. Southee claimed important wickets at crucial moments and New Zealand will hope he can repeat that form to help them wrap up the series.
Rain delayed the start of the first T20I and there is some more forecast for Tuesday but it is likely that the game will be completed.
New Zealand’s top order let them down a little in the face of some fierce swing bowling from Malinga. Colin Munro finds himself in a bit of a run drought although few players could handle Malinga at his best first up.
Verdict: New Zealand
New Zealand should clinch the series after a confidence-boosting win on Sunday.
Written by James Richardson for Hollywoodbets.
