Sri Lanka sweated even after restricting New Zealand to 135 runs in Dambulla. They won the first T20 by four wickets with six balls in hand in the innings led by Charith Asalanka on Saturday. The Lankan captain was also the man of the match.
Chasing a target of 136 runs, the Sri Lankan batsmen had to struggle against the second-tier visiting team. But the crucial partnership of 38 runs by Asalanka and Wanindu Hasaranga in the sixth wicket put the hosts in the port of victory. The hosts scored 140 runs for 6 wickets in 19 overs.
Kushal and Pathum Nisanka made a partnership of 40 runs for the second wicket. Then New Zealand took five wickets for 87 runs and started dreaming of victory. But it was blocked by the pair of Asalanka-Hasaranga.
New Zealand's three-wicket left-arm spinner Dunith Vellalaghe, who won the toss and went into bat, smashed Jacob Duffy over mid-wicket for a six to seal Sri Lanka's win. Asalanka was unbeaten on 35 off 28 balls.
Taking advantage of New Zealand's small capital, Sri Lanka started batting comfortably. Top order batsman Kushal Perera made his name in the record books. Tillakaratne overtook Dilshan on his way to 23 off 17 balls to become Sri Lanka's highest run-scorer in T20Is with 1904 runs.
Asalanka said after the match, 'All in all it was a good win. They should have been caught at 110 or 120 runs. But they have done very well in the lower order.'
Sri Lanka picked up New Zealand's eight wickets for 96 runs. Ish Sodhi and Zachary Foakes put on a record 39-run stand for New Zealand for the ninth wicket. The previous record of 38 runs was also shared by Sodhi, partnered by Mitchell Santner.
Hasaranga broke this pair. Focus was caught by Kiwi captain Santner at mid-on while playing a big shot.
Having dominated the red ball series in India, New Zealand set foot in the island nation without stars like Tom Blundell, Rachin Ravindra. All-rounder Mitchell Bracewell played a fighting innings of 27 runs off 24 balls. Basically, they scored a hundred in the pair of Sodhi and Focus. Focus played the highest innings of 27 runs from 16 balls. Sodhi was dismissed for 10 runs in the last over.
Wicketkeeper batsman Mitchell Hay was caught by Mathisha Pathirana off his second ball on New Zealand's jersey debut.
New Zealand were all out for the third-fewest runs in Dambulla. “Adapting to the conditions is a challenge,” Santner said. In the middle we felt we could resist this run. But a few pairs took the match from us.'
The second and final match will be played at the same venue on Sunday.
