In 49.2 overs, Sri Lanka defeated New Zealand 324 for 5 (Kusal Mendis 143, Avishka Fernando 100).
A 206-run partnership between Kusal Mendis (who hammered 143 off 127 balls) and Avishka Fernando (who struck 100 off 115) constituted the majority of Sri Lanka’s 324 for 5 in Dambulla.
A downpour prevented the final four balls from being delivered, making only 49.2 overs of Sri Lanka’s innings feasible. Another shower created a roughly 40-minute delay at the beginning of the match.
At a site where no team batting second has ever scored more than 289, this is still a dominant score despite the surface providing just a slight turn. In order for Sri Lanka’s balls to be damp and come on to the bat a little quicker, New Zealand will hope the ground stays wet.
The top bowler for New Zealand was seamer Jacob Duffy, who took 3 for 41 in 8.2 overs. In his death-bowling stint, he had removed Kusal and Charith Asalanka after catching the dangerous Pathum Nissanka at deep third for 12.
Less remarkable were the spinners. Ish Sodhi gave up 62 from his 10 but ended Avishka’s innings; Mitchell Santner gave up 53 from his 10 but did not take a wicket; and Michael Bracewell took one wicket but went for 73 from his nine overs after Kusal smashed him for two sixes and a four in his final over.
Sri Lanka scored 57 runs in the powerplay, which gave Kusal and Avishka a lot of early momentum. To score his first two fours of the innings, Kusal smoked a straight drive and then crashed a short ball in front of midwicket in the fifth over, which was bowled by Duffy. Avishka hoisted him down the ground in the next over, which was bowled by Nathan Smith, who was making his debut, and then swivel-pulled him over the fine leg boundary for six.
There was a snag during that time; Duffy dropped Kusal on 11 because he was unable to hold a fast return catch. Other than that, Sri Lanka’s development went smoothly. New Zealand’s spinners only made a small turn, despite the pitch being predicted to take some turn. When the New Zealand bowlers produced consecutive dot balls, Kusal and Avishka found a rhythm of accumulation that worked well for both hitters.
Additionally, Kusal found runs square of the wicket on the offside, while Avishka was strong over cover, going inside out several times. Both of them exploited Bracewell’s and Sodhi’s bowling, as neither was able to sustain pressure for extended periods of time. Before Avishka reached his own half-century, his eighth, off his 60th ball, Kusal reached his fifty off the 64th ball he faced.
They mostly batted in the same gear, but after reaching those milestones, they upped the tempo a little. Sodhi dropped Avishka on 77 in the outfield, but the fielder hardly had a chance with his fingertips. Kusal reached his century off 102 balls in the 37th over. The 38th was when Avishka arrived. This was the fourth ODI century for both batters.
Soon after, Avishka was caught at mid-off, but the partnership had brought Sri Lanka to the final overs. The score at the time of his fall was 222 for 2 in the 39th over.
Both Asalanka and Kusal were productive throughout the final ten, with Asalanka finding runs square of the wicket and Kusal mostly hitting spinners down the ground. Asalanka was caught on the square leg boundary for 40 off 28 as the rain returned.
