SL vs NZ: Sri Lanka Stuns New Zealand With A 140 Run Victory

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SL vs NZ: New Zealand suffered an unbelievable defeat when Sri Lanka emerged victorious by 140 runs at Eden Park. The third and final ODI in the series marked the match where the former managed to conquer their opponents convincingly. Whereas New Zealand had ensured the series win with victories in the first two one-dayers, Sri Lanka dominated the play in the last one to win convincingly.

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Though the series had already been won and sealed, many were surprised at the way the visiting team outshone New Zealand in the third ODI to deliver a crushing defeat.

Sri Lanka Sets Challenging Target of 291 Runs

Winning the toss and choosing to bat first, Sri Lanka’s skipper Charith Aslanka did not go wrong as he must have thought it was a correct decision. The batting of Sri Lanka put up a good total of 290 for the loss of 8 wickets in their allocated 50 overs.

Pathum Nissanka was the star performer for Sri Lanka, scoring 66 runs to anchor the innings. Kusal Mendis scored 54 runs, while Janith Liyanage added 53 runs. Kamindu Mendis also had a vital knock, adding 46 runs to the total. The contributions were spread across the top and middle order for Sri Lanka, which helped them post a strong target.

On the bowling side, Matt Henry was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers, who took 4 wickets for 47 runs. The Black Caps’ skipper, Mitchell Santner, also contributed to the bowling by taking 2 wickets. Nathan Smith and Michael Bracewell also chipped in with one wicket each, but on the whole, New Zealand’s bowlers were not able to restrict Sri Lanka’s batsmen well enough, allowing the visitors to post a challenging total.

New Zealand Batting Collapse: All Out for 150

With a target of chasing 291 runs, New Zealand’s batting lineup spectacularly collapsed. The hosts were bowled out for just 150 runs in 29.4 overs and fell way short of the required run to chase.

Mark Chapman was the bright spark in Kiwi batting as he was the highest scorer with a gritty 81. But it went badly wrong with the others. Will Young, Tom Latham, and Glenn Phillips were dismissed all for ducks. The Sri Lanka bowlers couldn’t let their top order have it their own way and saw off the New Zealand chase early on.

Asitha Fernando, Maheesh Theekshana, and Ishan Malinga were the three wicket-takers for Sri Lanka, taking 3 wickets each in an excellent team performance. Janith Liyanage also chipped in with a wicket, as Sri Lanka’s bowling pack completely dismantled New Zealand’s batting order.

The match was an utter contrast to the ones prior to this series, where New Zealand had comfortably had dominion by beating Sri Lanka by 9 wickets in the first ODI and then winning by 113 runs in the second ODI.

Key Performances: Sri Lanka’s Clinical Bowling and Batting

Sri Lanka’s win in the third ODI was marked by clinical performances from both their batsmen and bowlers. Batting first, the team put up a strong total, with multiple contributions from their top and middle order. Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, and Janith Liyanage were particularly impressive, forming the backbone of the innings and ensuring Sri Lanka posted a competitive total.

On the bowling front, Sri Lankan pacers and spinners were at their best. Asitha Fernando and Maheesh Theekshana were particularly brutal with the ball, troubling the New Zealand batsmen consistently. The efficiency of Sri Lanka’s bowling attack ensured that New Zealand’s chase was never really on course, and the hosts were unable to recover from their early setbacks.

New Zealand’s Struggles: A Disappointing Performance

New Zealand’s third ODI was a disappointing match, especially as they had already won the series. In the last match, New Zealand’s batting failed to do anything impressive, as the top order could not handle the pressure. No one could make good partnerships or launch a significant chase. New Zealand’s batting folded when their big guns like Will Young, Tom Latham, and Glenn Phillips were not up to the mark. The New Zealand batsmen were exposed and could not deal with Sri Lanka’s bowling.

The only bright light in New Zealand’s batting was Mark Chapman’s 81, but even those were not enough to take the team to victory. The loss of this one match exposed many fault lines in New Zealand’s batting and they will be keen to bounce back on the tour, hence rectifying the mistakes that they committed and doing better with pressure.

Sri Lanka made an incredible turn of things around after conceding two comprehensive defeats in the previous matches by winning the third ODI against New Zealand by 140 runs. Even though the series had already been decided in favor of New Zealand, Sri Lanka managed to clinch the final ODI emphatically, which reflected their resilience and ability to fight back even when all was lost.

The New Zealand defeat was a harsh reminder for the team of the importance of consistency and mental toughness, especially when the pressure is off. For the hosts, winning the series does not seem to be an excuse for their batting woes, as they will look to maintain dominance in future series.

Sri Lanka, however, will be more than happy to celebrate their victory over New Zealand with a well-deserved victory in the last game of the series, while the other two games went entirely in the favor of New Zealand. It is a confidence booster for Sri Lanka going ahead in its cricketing career in international competitions.

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