Skipper Asalanka and bowlers help Sri Lanka daze Kiwi challenge
Skipper Charith Asalanka braved the odds with an unbeaten 35, as he celebrated Sri Lanka's victory with Dunith Wellalage, who claimed three scalps earlier - AFP
Skipper Charith Asalanka’s unbeaten knock of 35 helped Sri Lanka to record a hard-fought 4-wicket win against New Zealand in the first T20 encounter played under floodlights at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium yesterday. With the win the hosts take a 1-0 lead of the two-match series.
Skipper Asalanka’s knock, which came off 28 balls, largely came during his partnership with Wanindu Hasaranga, as the former schoolmates added 37 runs for the sixth wicket. Hasaranga chipped in with 22 runs, setting the tone for Sri Lanka, who chased down the target with six balls to spare, losing six wickets.
Sri Lanka underwent an early setback with the dismissal of Kusal Mendis in the second over with the score on three. Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera steadied the innings with a stand of 40 runs for the second wicket in 24 balls before they were separated with the dismissal of Nissanka, who made 19.
Perera did not last long as he followed 12 runs later having made 23 before Kamindu Mendis and Asalanka added 27 runs for the fourth wicket. Mendis was dismissed for 23. Bhanuka Rajapaksa lasted only four balls as became Sri Lanka’s fifth wicket to fall with the score on 87 for 5 in the 12th over.
Earlier New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner, electing to bat, saw his side struggle for their runs as they found difficult in facing the spin attack of Sri Lanka, who had included three spinners.
The fall of their first on 16 in the third over saw New Zealand losing two more quick wickets for the addition for the addition of 37 runs. They further slid to 53 for 4 in the ninth over as debutant Mitchell Hay walked at a time his side was badly placed.
Much was expected from Hay, who is expected to be a quality all format player for the future, but he had an inauspicious start lasting just two balls. His dismissal for a duck saw the New Zealanders in dire straits on 59 for 5.
With the Sri Lankan spinners dominating at the halfway stage of the innings, New Zealand were struggling on 60 for 5. Michael Bracewell, who made 27 runs, put on a brief stand of 19 runs skipper Santner but still they were not out of the woods.
With the score on 96 for 8 in the 16th over, New Zealand recovered through Zakary Foulkes and Ish Sodhi, who rescued the side with the pair sharing a valuable and timely 39-run stand in 22 balls for the ninth wicket. This stand helped New Zealand end with a respectable score of 135 runs.
Dunith Wellalage, who bagged three scalps, was the pick of the bowlers while Nuwan Thushara, Wanindu Hasaranga and Matheesha Pathirna ended with two wickets each. The two teams will play their second T20 game today at the same venue.
| SCORECARD | |
| New Zealand Tim Robinson b Wellalage 03 Will Young lbw b Theekshana 19 Mark Chapman c Hasaranga b Thushara 01 Glenn Phillips lbw b Hasaranga 13 Michael Bracewell c Kamindu b Thushara 27 Mitchell Hay c Kusal M b Pathirana 00 Josh Clarkson c Kamindu b Pathirana 03 Mitchell Santner st Kusal M b Hasaranga 16 Zakary Foulkes not out 27 Ish Sodhi c Asalanka b Wellalage 10 Jacob Duffy c Kusal M b Wellalage 00 Extras (lb6, nb5, w5) 16 Total (all out; 19.2 overs) 135 Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Robinson, 2.2ov), 2-20 (Chapman, 3.5ov), 3-31 (Young, 5.6ov), 4-53 (Phillips, 8.5ov), 5-59 (Hay, 9.5ov), 6-67 (Clarkson, 11.4ov), 7-86 (Bracewell, 14.4ov), 8-96 (Santner, 15.4ov), 9-135 (Sodhi, 19.2ov), 10-135 (Duffy, 19.3ov) Bowling: Maheesh Theekshana 4-0-21-1, Nuwan Thushara 3-0-14-2, Dunith Wellalage 3.3-0-20-3, Wanindu Hasaranga 4-0-20-2, Charith Asalanka 2-0-25-0, Matheesha Pathirana 3-0-29-2 Sri Lanka Pathum Nissanka b Foulkes 19 Kusal Mendis lbw b Santner 00 Kusal Perera lbw b Bracewell 23 Kamindu Mendis c Sodhi b Phillips 23 Charith Asalanka not out 35 Bhanuka Rajapaksa c Hay b Foulkes 04 Wanindu Hasaranga c Santner b Foulkes 22 Dunith Wellalage not out 11 Extras (lb1, w2) 03 Total (6 wickets; 19 overs) 140 Did not bat: Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Kusal M, 1.5ov), 2-43 (Nissanka, 5.3ov), 3-55 (Kusal P, 6.6ov), 4-82 (Kamindu M, 10.4ov), 5-87 (Rajapaksa, 11.3ov), 6-125 (Hasaranga, 17.2ov) Bowling: Jacob Duffy 4-0-29-0, Mitchell Santner 4-0-30-1, Michael Bracewell 4-0-31-1, Zakary Foulkes 3-0-20-3, Ish Sodhi 2-0-17-0, Glenn Phillips 2-0-12-1 |