After Dambulla, it was Pallekele’s turn to witness rain interruptions. The pattern remained the same: New Zealand played under rain-affected conditions, chasing in the first game and batting first in the second. Yet, the outcome was unchanged—Sri Lanka’s victory.
Having won the first match by 45 runs via the DLS method, Sri Lanka secured the series with a narrow 3-wicket win today in Pallekele. The final ODI of the three-match series will also be played in Pallekele, this coming Tuesday.
With this series victory, Sri Lanka has now defeated five consecutive teams in ODI series on home soil—Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, India, West Indies, and now New Zealand.
Rain reduced today’s game to 47 overs per side, but New Zealand couldn’t even play their allotted overs. Bowled out on the first ball of the 46th over, they managed 209 runs. Wicketkeeper-batsman Mitch Hay, who scored 49, was their second-highest scorer. The top innings came from Mark Chapman, who made a fluent 76 off 81 balls, including 3 sixes and 7 fours. Chapman and Hay’s 75-run stand off 78 balls was crucial in pushing New Zealand past 200, as most other batters struggled. Opener Will Young’s 26 off 40 balls was the only other notable contribution.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers, Maheesh Theekshana and Jeffrey Vandersay, were outstanding, both picking up three wickets each. Theekshana was particularly economical, conceding just 31 runs in 9.1 overs. The Lankan fielders also played their part brilliantly, backing up the bowlers with sharp work.
In their chase, Sri Lanka kept losing wickets at regular intervals. But amidst the chaos, wicketkeeper-batsman Kusal Mendis, batting at No. 3, stood rock solid. At 163 for 7, it seemed like New Zealand had the upper hand, but Mendis found an able partner in Theekshana. Together, they stitched a match-winning 47-run stand off 59 balls, tilting the game decisively in Sri Lanka’s favor.
Mendis remained unbeaten on 74 off 102 balls, laced with 6 fours, while Theekshana contributed an invaluable 27 not out off 44 balls, including a six and two fours. New Zealand’s Michael Bracewell was impressive with figures of 4 for 36 in 10 overs but couldn’t prevent Sri Lanka from crossing the line.
Sri Lanka wrapped up the win with an over to spare, rendering the final ODI a mere formality—or perhaps not. The Lankans now have a golden opportunity to clean-sweep New Zealand!
