new zealand 186 for 5 (Chapman 42, Hay 41, Robinson 41) beat Sri Lanka 141 (Perera 48, Duffy 4-15) by 45 runs
After a first T20I that was a smash and grab, New Zealand produced a more team-focused effort to emerge comfortable winners in the second T20I, securing the series 2–0. This means that Sri Lanka’s long wait to win the series in New Zealand continues.
However, it was Hay who won the Player of the Match award after scoring 41 runs in 19 balls. It was an innings that took New Zealand’s total by one and put their team ahead in the game. – a situation they would hardly want to leave by that point.
duffy does it again
It was Duffy’s single-over triple-strike in the first T20I that signaled the collapse of Sri Lanka’s monument. In the second game, although not as explosive – this time he bowled all four of his overs – his impact was equally impressive.
Mitchell Santner was also shrewd in his use of Duffy, bringing him in for just a one-over spell early on, before a crucial burst of two overs at the death. This strategy worked magic, as after getting no wickets in the first over, he took a wicket on the first ball of each of his next three overs.
A third first-ball strike to dismiss Wanindu Hasaranga, followed by the dismissal of Mahesh Theekshana two balls later, rounded off another good day for Duffy.
Sri Lankan strike rate a matter of concern?
Sri Lanka once again tried to cheat with the bat, and although this defeat was not as serious as the defeat in the first game, there will be question marks over their inability to finish the innings strongly.
Once again a strong platform was set – 72 for 2 at half-time – but they were all out for 141 by the start of the 20th over. And his primary concerns may be his inability to score runs quickly.
Even the batsmen who did score were unable to score at a pace of over 140 – a sharp contrast to New Zealand, who had three batsmen score at a pace of over 140, including Hay who scored 215. Maintained – While another area to improve could be the middle of the wicket; New Zealand scored 14 two runs while Sri Lanka scored only five runs.
New Zealand’s controlled aggression
Asked to bat first once again, only three of the opening 10 overs included no boundaries, and five of those overs yielded at least 10 runs. This meant that even Sri Lanka’s better bowlers were not able to generate any kind of solid pressure that day, while others were barely given a chance to recover. Much of this was due to the measured intent shown by Robinson and Chapman, with both batsmen comfortable using their legs to take the Sri Lankan bowlers off their lengths.
Thekshana, usually one of Sri Lanka’s more economical bowlers, was particularly targeted, scoring 20 runs from his first two balls before being run out of the attack. Express Mathisha Pathirana was also not safe, with Chapman coming down the track to dismiss him twice – first over cover and then over deep midwicket.
More importantly, New Zealand were diligent in their running between the wickets and were constantly looking for chances to convert singles into twos. This meant that while Binura Fernando, Hasaranga and Nuwan Thushara never really looked under any kind of pressure, New Zealand somehow managed to score 86 by the halfway stage.
hey finally shines
Despite New Zealand’s strong start, Sri Lanka can be happy with how the game ended by the 18th over. Sixty-six runs and three wickets in eight overs from the 10th over made it a distinct possibility that New Zealand would not be able to score even the 172 runs scored in the first game.
And if he had not been there, perhaps this would have also happened. His first three T20Is – all against Sri Lanka – yielded two ducks and a total of three runs. But here, against two of Sri Lanka’s most astute bowlers, Hay declared himself on the international stage, albeit late.
In a 19-ball cameo – more than double the number of balls he faced in his last three T20Is – Haye scored 41 runs, which included four fours and two sixes. After wasting his time initially, he scored 12 runs from 9 and 29 runs from the next 10.
Theekshana was the first to receive the treatment, hitting two powerful hits down the ground that were the highlights of the 18-run final over. Hay then turned his attention to Sri Lanka’s most economical bowler up to that point – Binura – cleverly dispatching him for two fours, including a bold scoop, ensuring 34 runs in the last two overs – and the final 100 runs were scored in 10.
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