A miss has proven as a good as a mile for Sri Lanka who have already lost the T20I series against New Zealand after twin defeats in Kandy.
New Zealand have claimed last over victories in both matches but finished off the contests with a few balls to spare.
Friday 6 September 2019 | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy| 15:30
To Win Match
Sri Lanka
Tie
New Zealand
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka have started quite well with both bat and ball in each of the games but their failure to accelerate through the death overs has been critical.
The hosts have enjoyed good starts with Kusal Mendis looking in good touch and Niroshan Dickwella adjusting reasonably well to a new role at number four but they have missed Thisara Perera at the death and with the ball.
Shehan Jayasuriya has been a poor substitute as allrounder registering a couple of bits and pieces performances. The bar is set very high by Thisara who has won matches single-handedly for Sri Lanka in white-ball cricket.
Lasith Malinga and Akila Dananjaya are world-class bowlers but they have not received world-class support although Lakshan Sandakan did well in the second match in Kandy.
New Zealand
New Zealand have won the series but can’t be happy with the way they have started with the bat and it showed when they used Scott Kugelleijn as a pinch-hitting number three.
The Black Caps struggles are driven by the absence of Kane Williamson and the poor form of Colin Munro. New Zealand could really use Munro at his best with the T20 World Cup on the horizon.
Colin de Grandhomme has been the difference between the two sides as the driving force behind the Black Caps middle order fightbacks. He wasn’t able to see either chase through leaving that task to Mitchell Santner, who has done well to hold his nerve at the death.
New Zealand have now won ten of their 18 T20Is against Sri Lanka with the Lions claiming just six wins and two matches ending in no result.
After a great ODI World Cup, New Zealand are well placed to be competitive at the 2020 T20 World Cup in Australia.
Verdict: New Zealand
The Black Caps should finish off the whitewash in Kandy.
Written by James Richardson for Hollywoodbets.
