NZ vs SL

11:10 PM local time (3:40 PM IST): That is it from the second game of the three-match bilateral T20I series in which the Kiwis have gone ahead 2-0 over Sri Lanka. The visitors would aim for a win in the dead rubber that would be played going into the new year. For now, I, Keshav, on behalf of my co-commentator, Lavil, bid you adieu and wish you guys a very happy new year. 

Mitchell Santner (captain, New Zealand): It was a great performance, first off with the bat, we were a little bit under pressure in the powerplay. I said at the start, whoever use the wind best would probably do pretty well with the bat especially. It's great to see Jacob Duffy's bowling. He gets us the wicket on the first couple balls of the spell. Especially, in the first game, the best way to get back in the game was by taking wickets and we were able to do it in the middle. With a big breeze like that, if you can be protective, it could be quite easy for the batters. (On captaincy) It's been good with some talent coming through. So it was nice to see some good performances from the younger boys and even in the last game. So yeah, nice for them to win in front of the home crowd.

Charith Asalanka (captain, Sri Lanka): Very disappointed with the result, the middle order should have done better. It is all about adapting quickly to the conditions, a bit more bouncy than our home. At the same time, they were brilliant. It is really important how you finish, doesn't matter how you start

Mitchell Hay (Player of the Match): It was good to contribute to the total. I was trying to give myself a couple of deliveries. Got a few out of the middle of the bat and great to bat with Daz and Bracewell. They are very calm at the end. It will be pretty awesome to get a series win and contribute to it as well. It is a different vibe, pretty awesome to play in front of the crowd with my parents here as well. Take a lot of pride in my wicketkeeping and great to contribute in both the facets of the game

10: 49 PM local time (3:19 PM IST): New Zealand win the game by 45 runs and seal the series 2-0.

Sri Lanka: 141/10 (19.1) | New Zealand: 186/5

Kusal Perera: 48 (35) | Jacob Duffy: 4/15 (4)

What an astounding win that was for New Zealand with brilliant performances with the ball after putting a contestable total on the board. Sri Lanka failed to form a partnership and kept losing wickets at regular intervals to let the pressure pile on their side. With that, the Kiwis have clinched the series 2-0.

There were some decent partnerships in the middle for Sri Lanka; however, the issue of losing wickets after getting set on the crease persists for them. Kusal Perera showed some resolve with some support from Pathum Nissanka and later Charith Asalanka. But once he departed, barely any batters succeeded in finding boundaries consistently. Therefore, the required rate kept on skyrocketing with the game in the Kiwis' grip with two overs remaining.

Mitchell Santner started the proceedings with the ball to strike against Kusal Mendis in the powerplay. Santner and Matt Henry picked two wickets apiece, while Zakary Foulkes and Michael Bracewell have a wicket each ahead of their names. Nonetheless, Jacob Duffy was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets. He got breakthroughs on first deliveries in three of the four overs he bowled and was indeed the go-to bowler for his skipper. He looks like a player who is likely to be a mainstay with the BlackCaps in the limited-overs format.

Sri Lanka was the second-best team in both departments of the game and needs to regroup their side to prevent a whitewash in the series.

19.1 Zakary Foulkes to Binura Fernando, GONE! NEW ZEALAND WIN! Full and outside the off stump, Fernando looks to go for a big hit but gets a thick, leading edge and is caught at short third for the easiest catch. That's all as New Zealand won by 45 runs and sealed the three match T20I series 2-0 with a match to go

Binura Fernando c Jacob Duffy b Zakary Foulkes 3 (5b, 0x4, 0x6)

New Zealand have almost won the game and now it's just about bowling six legal deliveries or scraping the last wicket.

Zakary Foulkes [3-0-27-0], back into the attack

18.4 Matt Henry to Matheesha Pathirana, NICKED AND GONE! Length delivery outside the off stump, Pathirana goes to have a push at that one but gets a thick outside edge that carries to Mitchell Hay, who doesn't shell them. Sri Lanka lose nine wickets now!

Matheesha Pathirana c Mitchell Hay b Matt Henry 0 (1b, 0x4, 0x6)

18.3 Matt Henry to Avishka Fernando, GONE! HENRY WITH THE FIRST ONE FOR THE NIGHT! Full and wide outside the off stump, Avishka goes for a gentle placement of the shot but gets the timing on that one a little too good, with the ball going straight down the throat of the man at deep backward point

Avishka Fernando c Tim Robinson b Matt Henry 5 (7b, 0x4, 0x6)

Jacob Duffy looks like a bowler who would go a long way with the BlackCaps. A team doesn't find a bowler like him every now and then, who picks a wicket on the first delivery of the over.

Matt Henry [3-0-30-0], back into the attack

17.6 Jacob Duffy to Binura Fernando, full and on the middle and off stump. Binura plays it off the inside edge towards square leg for a single to end the over. Duffy ends with 4/15 to his name with this spell coming to an end

17.5 Jacob Duffy to Avishka Fernando, length delivery outside the off stump. Fernando hits it off the toe end of the bat down the ground for a single