NZ vs SL 2024-25: Kusal Perera’s whirlwind ton gives Sri Lanka consolation win in high-scoring 3rd T20I

Mitchell Santner chose to field first after winning the toss on Thursday. The foreigners scored 49 runs despite losing their openers during the powerplay. For the third wicket, Kusal Perera and Avishka Fernando put together an impressive 41-run partnership off 26 balls. But after Avishka left for a 12-ball 17, Perera and captain Charith Asalanka had the strongest partnership.

On Thursday, January 02, Sri Lanka narrowly avoided a series annihilation by defeating New Zealand by seven runs in the meaningless third Twenty20 International at the Saxton Oval in Nelson. The three-game series was won 2-1 by the BlackCaps.

Kusal Perera and Asalanka created a 100-run partnership from just 45 deliveries, smashing the Kiwi bowlers all over the park.

The latter left after hitting five sixes and one four for a total of 46 from 24 balls. In the meantime, Perera smashed Matt Henry for a six to finish the 18th over, reaching the three-figure mark off just 44 balls. The southpaw scored 101 runs off 46 balls before losing his wicket in the next over. During his thrilling knock, he hit four sixes and thirteen fours.

In their final 20 overs, the Lankans scored 218/5. In the midst of all the chaos, Blackcaps bowler Jacob Duffy emerged as the team’s most impressive player once again, finishing with figures of 1/30 in four overs.

BlackCaps fight to the end.

The Kiwis needed to start fast in order to chase the enormous target. Their opening batsmen came out firing, scoring 81 runs in the first eight overs. After scoring 37 runs off of 21 balls, Tim Robinson became the first Kiwi hitter to be removed. But Rachin Ravindra, another opener, kept up his assault. Asalanka seized the ball and quickly removed Glenn Phillips and Mark Chapman, bringing Sri Lanka back into the match. The best was yet to come, though, when the raging Ravindra was removed by the part-time off-spinner after he had scored 69 runs off of 39 deliveries.

With one four and four sixes, Daryl Mitchell struck 35 off 17 balls in a brilliant performance. His magnificent knock kept the hosts in the chase. But Michael Bracewell and Mitchell Hay left for single-figure scores, and wickets continued to fall from the other end. Following Daryl’s dismissal by Nuwan Thushara, the hosts fell to 170/7, requiring an additional 49 runs to win off just 22 balls.

Perera was rightfully named Player of the Match as New Zealand succumbed by seven runs after Santner and Zakary Foulkes could only muster 41 runs off the final 3.4 overs. Only 15 runs were scored in overs 16, 17, and 18, which hindered New Zealand’s progress. Prior to the ODI series, this outcome gave Sri Lanka more confidence.