01/04Result
1st T20I, Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand at Auckland, Apr 2 2023
Match tied (Sri Lanka won the one-over eliminator)
Player of the Match
Charith Asalanka
Charith AsalankaSri Lanka
01/04Result
1st T20I, Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand at Auckland, Apr 2 2023
Match tied (Sri Lanka won the one-over eliminator)
Player of the Match
Charith Asalanka
Charith AsalankaSri Lanka

END OF OVER:
1 | NZ: 8/2

Excellent over from Theekshana but New Zealand have eight runs to defend. Milne will bowl the over. Theekshana started the over by going wide to Neesham. Chapman was unlucky to not get four more than he did but Theekshana adjusted his line, kept the lengths tight and ended the super over with the perfect ball.

0.6
W
Theekshana to Chapman, OUT, Nails the yorker, cramps Chapman who tried to whip it across. It snuck through the gap and disturbed furniture.

MS Chapman b Theekshana

0.5
4
Theekshana to Chapman, FOUR, Chapman rocks back and pulls the shortish ball against the spin wide of deep midwicket for four. That was slower offbreak, allowed time for Chapman to adjust and pummel it
0.4
2
Theekshana to Chapman, 2 runs, Powers the pull but can't time it well enough, goes along the ground to deep midwicket. Theekshana, predictably, isn't giving air and is bowling tight lines
0.3
0
Theekshana to Chapman, no run, Champan now in. Nails the straight drive but it hits the stumps at the non-striker's end.
0.2
W
Theekshana to Neesham, OUT, Skier is taken brilliantly while backtracking by Theekshana! It was a length ball outside off that Neesham tried to mow down the ground, got a top edge and it was in the air for ages. Theekshana went back and settled in but not under it. Instead, he waited and dove last moment to take a stunner. He's pumped!

JDS Neesham c & b Theekshana

0.2
1w
Theekshana to Neesham, 1 wide, Around to Neesham, who's alert to notice that the flat, length ball was outside the off-side tramline. Lets it go
0.1
1
Theekshana to Mitchell, 1 run, Wide and flat, the full ball is slapped to deep cover. Thick outside edge. Goes straight to the fielder. Mitchell looked for the second but it was not on.

Chapman is padded up. Neesham and Mitchell run out. The fielders are out. If the super over is tied, we will have another super over. Maheesh Theekshana will bowl

That wraps up our coverage of this match. A thrilling finish to regular play, but the Super Over was all Sri Lanka. See you again for the second T20I in Dunedin.

Shanaka: "We thought we were maybe 30 runs short on that pitch. I couldn't pitch in with runs today, but hope to do that in the coming matches. Maheesh is a superstar. Him, Wanindu, and Dilshan Madushanka did the job for us. With the wet ball it wasn't easy, but we did the job. We've never won a T20 series here, so we're looking forward to the next two games."

Latham: "Another great game of cricket at Eden Park. It was great for Ish to hit that six off the last ball. But it wasn't meant to be today. We didn't have that killer partnership to seal the game, but we got to the Super Over.

If you look at where they scored, it was straight. We were probably just a fraction full, and we have to work on that and hit just back of a length, going into Dunedin where it's a slightly smaller ground as well. We'll take the learnings from today."

Asalanka is player of the match: "It was an exciting game, but today it was our day. It's a small ground straight down the ground. I tried to hit boundaries because I back myself. The top three batted well and Kusal Perera batted really well and put up a partnership of more than 100 with me. Wanindu finished the batting off well also.

"Myself and Kusal Perera thought more than 210 was on because we had batting left, but the New Zealand bowlers did really well after the 15th over and kept us to less than 200."

Five (completed) matches into the tour, Sri Lanka finally have a win in New Zealand. Charith Asalanka was their most effective batter, first surging to 67 off 41 after Sri Lanka lost three wickets in a manic powerplay, before pounding a six and a four to win the Super Over. Maheesh Theekshana was exceptional as well, conceding only 22 in regular play (whilst taking a wicket), before delivering as good a Super Over as anyone has for Sri Lanka.

There were other heartening contributions - Kusal Perera hitting a half-century in his first match in 16 months (he'd been out through injury), and Wanindu Hasaranga was good in his four overs too.

0.3
5nb
Milne to Asalanka, (no ball) FOUR, Deftly guided over the keeper and Asalanka takes Sri Lanka to victory! Milne went into the pitch from around the wicket. Offered a bit of room, Asalanka ramped it late and managed to get it over the keeper. Umpire says it's a front-foot no-ball.

Long conference among the fielders. Long-on is back, fielders in the ring on the off-side

0.2
6
Milne to Asalanka, SIX, Slot ball on the pads is slogged across, it hangs high in the air. Chapman is on the ropes, tries to drag it back but it's too far! The slower ball works against Milne and Sri Lanka now need two from four balls

Latham runs down and has a chat with Milne. Crowd goes up in cheer

0.1
1
Milne to Mendis, 1 run, Slower one on a length outside off, Mendis tries to heave it away but doesn't time it. Goes to long-on, along the ground

Milne has bowled a few practice balls. Mendis is padding up, it'll be him and Asalanka to start off. Chris Silverwood, the coach, has a word with them. The batters have a small chat before making their way out. There is noise in the ground but it's dying down.

An early boundary or wicket could make the difference here. Fielders are in the ring on the off side.

Match Coverage

All Match News

New Zealand 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st1CJ BowesTL Seifert
2nd2CJ BowesTWM Latham
3rd63DJ MitchellTWM Latham
4th66DJ MitchellMS Chapman
5th12JDS NeeshamDJ Mitchell
6th12JDS NeeshamR Ravindra
7th28AF MilneR Ravindra
8th0R RavindraHB Shipley
9th12IS SodhiHB Shipley