MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand — Sri Lanka faced another challenging defeat in their pursuit of runs as New Zealand secured victory in the second Twenty20 international on Monday, winning by 45 runs and thus claiming a 2-0 lead in the series of three matches.
The Sri Lankan team came close but still fell short in the first match, losing by just eight runs while attempting to chase down a target of 172-8. This time around, Sri Lanka struggled again while targeting New Zealand’s score of 186-5, ultimately collapsing for 141 runs in just 19.1 overs.
“It’s crucial to finish strong, regardless of how the game has unfolded,” emphasized Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka. “The final result is what truly matters. We were near victory in the first match, and once again, we find ourselves disappointed.”
New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy emerged as a pivotal figure in the match, claiming the wicket of opener Pathum Nissanka for 37 runs and then dismissing Kusal Perera for 48 runs when both batsmen seemed to be steering Sri Lanka towards a potential win.
Nissanka previously scored an impressive 96 in the first match, forming a solid 120-run opening partnership with Kusal Mendis until Duffy swung the game in favor of New Zealand by taking three wickets in just four deliveries, which included dismissing Mendis to halt the Sri Lankan momentum.
In this match, Duffy’s extraordinary performance saw him finish with four wickets for just 15 runs, once again highlighting the difference between the two sides.
After dismissing Nissanka, Duffy bowled a remarkable yorker to eliminate Perera during the 16th over while Sri Lanka was positioned at 127-4, still within striking distance of victory. He then took the wickets of Wanindu Hasaranga (1) and Maheesh Theekshana (0) in quick succession in the 18th over, exposing the weaknesses of Sri Lanka’s lower order once again.
Matt Henry added to the pressure by taking two wickets in back-to-back deliveries during the 19th over, while Zak Foulkes concluded Sri Lanka’s innings with five balls to spare.
New Zealand secured their total by relying on a substantial century partnership between Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell in the earlier match and showed a more cohesive batting effort this time on a pitch that presented challenges by skidding in some areas and providing a more stable bounce in others.
The strong winds across the Bay Oval also complicated hitting towards one side of the ground, tipping the advantage toward the bowlers.
Tim Robinson set the stage with a solid innings of 41 runs off 34 balls, including three fours and two sixes, while Rachin Ravindra struggled again, being dismissed for just 1 run. Mark Chapman added 42 runs from 29 balls, and wicketkeeper Mitchell rounded off a critical innings with an unbeaten 41 runs from 19 balls, which included four fours and two sixes, playing a significant role in separating the teams.
“It felt great to contribute towards putting up a competitive score that we were happy with, and to help secure the win,” commented Hay.
