In Pallekele, the batting failure of both the New Zealand and Sri Lanka teams was noticeable. Mark Chapman and Mitchell Hay tackled the disaster as the Black Caps crossed the 200 mark at Tennetoon. Even with a target of 210 runs, they sat on the neck of the Lankans. Only one batted for the hosts – Kushal Mendis. Batting at number three, he saw his teammates coming and going at the other end. But did not panic. He took out the match with a cool head. His heroic batting helped Sri Lanka win the second ODI by 3 wickets.
With this victory, Sri Lanka won the three-match ODI series by 2-0. They won the series against New Zealand for the first time after 2012 in ODI cricket.
In the rain-hit match, the innings of both teams was reduced to 47 overs. Even New Zealand could not finish the entire innings. They were all out for 209 runs in 45.1 overs. Although they lost four wickets before the hundred runs, they gave a glimpse of a big score in the pair of Hay and Chapman. They lost the last 6 wickets for 36 runs.
New Zealand lost four wickets for 98 runs. Chapman and Hay put them back in the match after an early setback. Asitha Fernando broke the pair of 75 runs and brought the breakthrough. Chapman's 76-run innings of 81 balls, 7 fours and 3 sixes, collapsed at the end of the visitors' batting line. Hey somehow the team crossed the 200 mark. He was Sri Lanka's last victim with 49 off 62 balls.
During this time, Asitha and Geoffrey Vandersay took two wickets each in the same over. Mahish Takshana took wickets in two consecutive overs to wrap up the Kiwis. He bowled best with three wickets for 31 runs in 9.1 overs. Vanderse took the same wicket at the cost of 46 runs.
The goal was simple, but the path was difficult. Kushal came to the crease when Avishka Fernando was out for the team's 23 runs. He saw four batters back at the other end before the team scored a hundred. Michael Bracewell's brilliant bowling saw the visitors take Sri Lanka's 5 wickets for 93 runs.
Sri Lanka overcame that shock to some extent, Janith Lienage (22) made a partnership of 39 runs with Kushal. After he was dismissed, Dunith Vellalagh with a set batter returned to relief with some resistance. This pair did not exceed 31 runs. Vellalaghe (18) returned as the seventh batsman for 163 runs. Kushal passed the rest of the way with Takshana. Sri Lanka scored 210 runs with one over remaining in the best partnership of the duo's 59-ball 47-run innings. Kushal was unbeaten on 74 runs off 6 fours from 102 balls, Takshana was playing on 27 runs. Sri Lanka scored 210 runs for 7 wickets in 46 overs.
