SL in NZ: Black Caps win first T20 by 3 runs

New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by 3 runs in the first Twenty20 International match played at Mount Maunganui today (7).

Put into bat New Zealand piled up 182-4 and restricted Sri Lanka at 179-9 in a thrilling game. 

New Zealand were given a steady start by their openers Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson, who put on 101 runs.

Guptill was the first man to be dismissed after he smashed 58 runs off 34 deliveries inclusive of four boundaries and four sixes while Williamson followed next at 131 after stroking 53 off 42 deliveries with five fours and a six. 

Colin Munro hit 36 off 26 deliveries with two fours and two sixes as Ross Taylor smashed an unbeaten 22 off just nine deliveries which included three fours and a six. 

The only bowler to stand out for Sri Lanka was Nuwan Kulasekara, who took two wickets while Jeffrey Vandersay picked a scalp. 

Sri Lanka lost wickets at regular intervals and were struggling at 42-4 and lost their fifth wicket at 84 after a top-order collapse. 

Opener Danushka Gunathilaka, who made his T20 International debut, smashed 46 off 29 inclusive of three fours and two sixes. 

Sri Lanka received some solace after Milinda Siriwardana and Thisara Perera took the responsibility on their shoulders coming late in the order. 

Siriwardana hit 42 off 31 deliveries while hitting two fours and two sixes while Perera smashed 28 off 19 deliveries with three fours and a six. 

However Sri Lanka could not keep up to their momentum as they fell four runs short off the required target.

Man-of-the-match Trent Boult and Matt Henry picked three wickets each while Grant Elliott and Ish Sodhi claimed a wicket each. 

New Zealand 182 for 4 wickets (20) (Martin Guptill 58, Kane Williamson 53, Colin Munro 36, Ross Taylor 22n.o, Grant Elliott 10n.o, Nuwan Kulasekara 2/26)

Sri Lanka 179 for 9 wickets (20) (Danushka Gunathilaka 46, Milinda Siriwardana 42, Thisara Perera 28, Chamara Kapugedara 17, Nuwan Kulasekara 14, Trent Boult 3/21, Matt Henry 3/44)