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SL vs NZ 1st T20I Highlights: Charith Asalanka, Wellalage Edge Sri Lanka Past New Zealand In Low-Scorer

Sri Lanka won the first T20I by four wickets [Source: @ICC/x]Sri Lanka won the first T20I by four wickets [Source: @ICC/x]

Sri Lanka mauled the visiting New Zealanders in a low-scoring affair at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Saturday, November 9. The outcome helped Charith Asalanka and co. go 1-0 up in the two-match T20I series.

Here’s the timeline of how SL vs NZ panned out in Dambulla:

SL vs NZ Highlights: New Zealand Lose Five In Less Than 10 Overs

Winning the toss and opting to bat first, New Zealand lost opener Tim Robinson and number three Mark Chapman to Dunith Wellalage and Nuwan Thushara respectively within the first four overs to slip to 20-2. The visitors also lost Will Young, Glenn Phillips and debutant Mitchell Hay all inside the first half of the innings by the time of recording just 59 runs on the board.

Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga and Matheesha Pathirana delivered the crucial breakthroughs after the early strikes from Wellalage and Thushara as Sri Lanka seized early advantage in the game.

SL vs NZ Highlights: Bracewell, Foulkes Elevate New Zealand To 135

After getting rid of debutant Mitchell Hay, Matheesha Pathirana also got the prized-scalp of Josh Clarkson in the 12th over of the New Zealand innings. Amidst tumbling wickets from one end, Michael Bracewell punched out a valiant 27 from 24 balls with a couple of boundaries and a six to take the visitors near the 100-run mark.

While Bracewell’s and captain Mitchell Santner’s successive dismissals to Nuwan Thushara and Wanindu Hasaranga reduced New Zealand to 96-8, some tail-end resistance from Zakary Foulkes (27* off 16) and Ish Sodhi (10 off 9) attained some respectability for the visitors.

For Sri Lanka, Dunith Wellalage picked up the remaining two wickets in the final over to restrict New Zealand’s late resurgence to just 135.

SL vs NZ Highlights: Bracewell, Santner, Foulkes Jolt Sri Lankan Top-Order

Chasing 136 for a win, Sri Lankan opener Kusal Mendis was trapped in front by Mitchell Santner for a five-ball duck in just the second over of the innings. Pathum Nissanka (19 off 14) and wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Perera (23 off 17) kept up with the asking rate before getting toppled by Zakary Foulkes and Michael Bracewell as the hosts finished their first 10 overs at 78-3.

SL vs NZ Highlights: Charith Asalanka Dashes NZ Hopes After Foulkes’ 3-Fer

Zakary Foulkes led New Zealand’s raging fightback by adding two more wickets to his tally in the form of dangermen Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Wanindu Hasaranga to claim figures of 3-20 from his three overs. However, Kamindu Mendis and captain Charith Asalanka maintained their composure and safely navigated Sri Lanka past the New Zealand total with an over and four wickets to spare.

Asalanka himself top-scored in the innings with a fluent 35* from 28 balls as the hosts took a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.