Sri Lanka opt to bowl in second T20 against New Zealand

Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bowl first against New Zealand in the second and the final T20I being played at Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium within a day’s time since the conclusion of a hard-fought first game of the series.

Sri Lanka and New Zealand are all set to lock horns with each other in the second T20I at 7 p.m. 

With Sri Lanka already leading the series 1-0, the Kiwis will aim to make a comeback and level things up. Sri Lanka would love to seal the series with another win on their home turf.

Sri Lanka kicked off the series in style with a 4-wicket win in Dambulla. The Sri Lankan bowlers, led by Dunith Wellalage (3/20), kept New Zealand under control. After opting to bat, New Zealand struggled to get going, but some crucial late hits from Zak Foulkes helped them reach a fighting total of 135 in 19.3 overs.

The chase wasn’t all smooth sailing for Sri Lanka. They lost Kusal Mendis for a duck right off the bat, and although Pathum Nissanka (19) and Kusal Perera (23) managed to build some momentum, wickets kept falling.

When Sri Lanka looked a bit shaky at 87/5, skipper Charith Asalanka stepped up, adding a valuable 38-run stand with Wanindu Hasaranga. Foulkes, who was the thorn in Sri Lanka’s side, broke the partnership, but Wellalage and Asalanka held their nerves to finish the game with four wickets to spare.

The Kiwis know they’ll need to do better if they want to stay alive in the series. Their batting lineup struggled against Sri Lanka’s spinners, and losing wickets regularly kept them from building a strong score.

Zak Foulkes showed his worth with both bat and ball, adding crucial runs down the order and taking three wickets. New Zealand will want their top and middle-order firing to fire. If players like Mark Chapman and Finn Allen can come good, the Kiwis stand a fighting chance.

Playing XIs 
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka (c), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara

New Zealand: Tim Robinson, Will Young, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Hay (wk), Josh Clarkson, Mitchell Santner (c), Zakary Foulkes, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy

--With agencies inputs