Nelson (New Zealand): Kusal Perera scored Sri Lanka’s fastest Twenty20 International century — from 44 balls — on Thursday to spur his team to a consolation win over New Zealand by seven runs in the the final match of the three-match series.
Perera’s career-best score in a century partnership with captain Charirth Asalanka lifted Sri Lanka to 218-5 — its second-highest T20 score, as it batted first for the first time in the series.
New Zealand held a winning 2-0 lead in the series after winning the first match by eight runs and the second by 45 runs.
New Zealand needed to achieve its highest run chase in T20s to complete a clean sweep of the series and was given a good start by Rachin Ravindra who made 69 from 39 balls. But it fell just short, held to 211-7.
The Black Caps began at a pace to match Sri Lanka, reaching 60-0 in the six-over power play. But Asalanka slammed the brakes on the New Zealand innings when he dismissed Ravindra, Mark Chapman (9) and Glenn Phillips (6) in quick succession.
Asalanka had figures of 3-25 after those dismissals but Daryl Mitchell hit four consecutive sixes from his final over to wreck his analysis and bat New Zealand back into the game.
Wanindu Hasaranga then dismissed Mitchell Hay (8) and Michael Bracewell (1) in the 16th over to tip the match back in the visitors’ favor. Asalanka took a superb diving catch to remove Bracewell and managed his bowlers well in a superb all-round performance.
“I think it’s a good win for us,” Asalanka said. “I think throughout the series we’ve played good cricket but couldn’t manage to get a win. Finally we got it. I hope this is a momentum shift for us. Adapting to these conditions has been a key for us.”
New Zealand came to the last over, bowled by Binura Fernando, needing 22 to win. After taking six runs from the first three balls, one of which was a wide, Zak Foulkes hit the fourth ball for six, leaving New Zealand needing 10 from the last two balls.
It was too much and the New Zealand batters managed only three more runs.
The start of the match was delayed by 30 minutes by a wet outfield and when it began Sri Lanka lost the toss but had the chance to bat first on a good pitch at Saxton Oval.
The tourists lost both openers, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis, inside the power play.
But Perera powered up the Sri Lanka innings in an outstanding batting performance, hitting 13 fours and four sixes in his 101 from 46 balls.
One of the keys to victory was the 75 runs Perera and Asalanka hit between the 14th and 18th overs which proved vital in making the run chase just too much for New Zealand.
The teams meet in the first of three one-day internationals in Wellington on Sunday.
