Mount Maunganui: Star batter Pathum Nissanka's 90-run knock went in vain as Sri Lanka's batting lineup fell like the house of cards in the first T20I against New Zealand at the Bay Oval here on Saturday, December 28, 2024. New Zealand incredibly takes a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series.
Sri Lanka looked out of the contest for all money but they hung in there and when they were presented with a little opening, they broke the door down. First, they recovered from 64/5 to 172/8 thanks to a record 105-run partnership between Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell. Then they made a remarkable run with the ball after Sri Lanka got a 121-run opening stand, taking as many as 8 wickets inside 38 runs after getting a century stand for the first wicket.
A thriller at Bay Oval! Key overs from Jacob Duffy (3-21) through the middle and composure at the death from Matt Henry (2-28) and Zak Foulkes (2-41) to snatch victory in T20I 1. Catch up on all scores | https://t.co/nLnN0S54sv 📲 #NZvSL #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/EQz8WTQJAe
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) December 28, 2024
Both Sri Lankan openers looked in sublime touch and they raced along 121 in the 14th over but that's when things took a dramatic turn. Kusal Mendis was the second-highest scorer for the visitors with 46 runs off 36 balls. But then They lost 3 wickets in four balls of the 14th over bowled by pacer Jacob Duffy and just couldn't quite recover from that setback.
The new batters found it difficult to get going, smashing the ball across the line and they just kept losing wickets. New Zealand bowled superbly too, they nailed their lines and lengths and gave nothing away. It was the pressure they created that led to Sri Lanka's rather unbelievable implosion.
Earlier, New Zealand made an exceptional recovery after being reduced to 65/5. Sri Lanka managed to contain some of the damage in that last over but it was a Mitchell and Bracewell show in the middle overs, New Zealand wouldn't have got anything near 172. After the top order failed and the Kiwis lost half their side by the 10th over, then the duo got stuck in at the crease and launched a remarkable counter-attack.
The southpaw Bracewell was the first to get going and he struck them around quite effortlessly before Mitchell joined in. Both got to their fifties and they shared a 105-run stand that took just 60 balls. Bracewell, who came out to bat at number 8, scored 59 off just 33 balls while Mitchell amassed 62 off 42.
Sri Lanka, after bowling superbly to start with, were very sloppy in the second half of the innings. Pathirana in particular had a day to forget as he conceded 60 from his 4 overs.
