SL vs NZ

11: 43 PM local time (11:43 PM IST): That is it from this low-scoring thriller in which New Zealand successfully defended 108 runs—the lowest score defended by a team in T20Is. In doing that, they drew the two-match T20I series here in Sri Lanka on to three-match ODI series. With that, I, Keshav, on behalf of my co-commentator Pragadeesh, take your leave. Stay tuned to Sportskeeda for interesting sports content.

11:18 PM local time (11:18 PM IST) New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner is up for a chat: At the change of innings, I just wanted us to fight as a unit. Obviously, it was there a bit for both the teams in terms of spin and we just talked about trying to take wickets up top and apply pressure and we did that extremely well. We would have obviously liked a few more runs off the bat but it was tricky surface, so we knew if we could bowl in the right areas for long time and let the pitch do its work. Lockie and the seamers bowled really well. He is a world-class bowler for us and can bowl thunderbolts like that's not easy to face. I guess that was his role today--get a few wickets in the middle. It spins a lot here and I look forward to the one-days now. Obviously, slightly slower wickets and probably got used to it back home but I think we have to find a method and dig in. Today, we thought the par score might have been more than it might have been. We got a few days and let's see what the pitch has got for us. As a unit, GP has bowled more in the series than he has in the white ball format, so nice to throw him the ball and get some wickets there for us.

11:15 PM local time (11:15 PM IST): Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka is up for a chat: We were not to lose this game and full game credit goes to them (New Zealand team) as we were undone by good bowling and fielding and I think we could have played a little bit well. To be honest, only today I think we struggled a lot but basically we are playing spin well. But, we have to get right options in this track. We have a settled team now and these kind of games can happen at any time and any point in this journey. I just believe in my bunch and just hope to play good cricket. I think three-match ODI series is very important to climb up in rankings. I think guys are in a really good mood to play one-day.

11:12 PM local time (11:12 PM IST): Wanindu Hasaranga is the Player of the Series: Finally I can have a few weeks break after this match as the injury is bad. I just wanted to bowl my four overs to help them cut down to the lowest total. I can't run so I tried to maximize but I could not. I just wanted to bowl in the stumps line with the five meter length and tried to do my basic things.

11:08 PM local time (11:08 PM IST) Lockie Ferguson is the Player of the Match: Yeah, it was a full team effort. Not sure whether this is the lowest total defended by us. Nice to be back on the pitch. Credit to GP for bowling the final over. Going forward, he can bowl the last overs. The wicket was on the slower side and the ball was gripping. We did well to defend the target.

New Zealand won the game by 5 runs
The two match series is drawn (1-1)

Pathum Nissanka 52 (51) | Glenn Phillips 3/6 (1.5)
Will Young 30 (32) | Wanindu Hasaranga 4/17 (4)

With 8 runs needed off the final over, Santner handed the ball to Glenn Phillips and he took the wicket of the long-standing opener Pathum Nissanka with a tossed up delivery. That was followed with the wicket of Matheesha Pathirana on the very next delivery. With six runs needed off two deliveries, Maheesh Theekshana swung his bat and ballooned the ball on the leg side and wicketkeeper Mitchell Hay pouched the final wicket. With this wicket the Kiwis won the low-scoring thriller by five runs.

New Zealand were off to a decent start, after setting a small target for the hosts. Pathum Nissanka played cautiously as two wickets fell in the powerplay for a score of 24 runs. A couple of overs later Lockie Ferguson struck twice in the over and got a hattrick with Sri Lanka four wickets down in no time. 

Following this collapse, Pathum Nissanka and Bhanuka Rajapaksha formed a small partnership and added 29 runs for the fifth wicket that led to two more wickets at regular intervals of two overs. Pathum Nissanka stood fighting as wickets kept falling on the other end and scored a half century. He perished in the final over and could not lead his team across the line. He would be gutted with that as it was Sri Lanka's game to lose.

Early on, Sri Lanka won the toss and called Santner and co to bat first. Kiwis never looked comfortable as Nuwan Thushara caused damage on the very first ball of the game, dismissing Tim Robinson. 

By the end of powerplay, Blackcaps were 33 for the loss of two wickets. At the end of powerplay, in came Wanindu Hasaranga, the man who wreaked havoc against the not-so experienced New Zealand side and dismissed four batters in his four overs. Midway through his bowling Hasaranga had a strain in hamstring but that made him more threatening and was the pick of Sri Lankan bowlers. 

Will Young was the top scorer for the Kiwis with 30 runs off 32 balls. With Matheesha Pathirana's commendable bowling towards the later end of the innings, who struck thrice, New Zealand batting perished at a below par score of 108 runs. In response, Sri Lanka got all out for 103 runs--just five runs short of the Kiwi score.

19.5 Glenn Phillips to Maheesh Theekshana, IN THE AIR...TAKEN! The Kiwis level the series and the players congratulate Phillips, who does a remarkable job in the final over. Quicker on a good length. Theekshana looks to slog sweep but it goes straight up. Hay is in action again as he sprints to his left to take the catch. Sri Lanka ALL OUT

Maheesh Theekshana c Mitchell Hay b Glenn Phillips 14 (16b, 1x4, 0x6)

19.4 Glenn Phillips to Nuwan Thushara, clears the front leg in advance and knocks it hard but doesn't get hold of it. The ball finds long-off after a couple of bounces

19.3 Glenn Phillips to Matheesha Pathirana, OUT! Phillips weaves his magic in crunch moments! Quicker on a good length and outside off, Pathirana tries to play with a straight bat and it beats the outside edge. He loses balance and goes out of the crease. Hay sees it and whips the bails off

Matheesha Pathirana st Mitchell Hay b Glenn Phillips 0 (1b, 0x4, 0x6)

19.2 Glenn Phillips to Pathum Nissanka, OUT! Phillips strikes and pin-drop silence inside Rangiri! A miscued slog sweep and Nissanka finds long-on. Spears it on a fuller length, Nissanka fancied to go big but Nicholls pouches it safely

Pathum Nissanka c sub b Glenn Phillips  52 (51b, 6x4, 0x6)

18.6 Zakary Foulkes to Maheesh Theekshana, short of a length and angling back, Theekshana is early into his pull but mistimes it to the off-side for a single