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The first T20 match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand was played on September 1, 2019, at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy. Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first.
SUNDAY, 02 APRIL 2023
TIME: 7:00 PM ET
TIME: 12:00 AM GMT
Sri Lanka’s innings got off to a poor start, with their openers being dismissed cheaply. However, Kusal Mendis and Avishka Fernando then put on a brilliant partnership of 63 runs, which helped to steady the Sri Lankan innings. Mendis was eventually dismissed for 79 runs, but Fernando continued to score runs, eventually finishing on 37 not out.
Sri Lanka finished their innings on 174-4, which was a challenging total for New Zealand to chase down. The New Zealand bowlers were expensive, with Seth Rance being the most successful, picking up two wickets.
In response, New Zealand got off to a poor start, with their openers being dismissed cheaply. However, Colin de Grandhomme and Ross Taylor then put on a partnership of 68 runs, which helped to keep New Zealand in the match. De Grandhomme was eventually dismissed for 44 runs, but Taylor continued to score runs, eventually finishing on 48 not out.
New Zealand finished their innings on 144-6, falling short of the target by 30 runs. Lasith Malinga was the most successful Sri Lankan bowler, picking up two wickets and giving away just 23 runs in his four overs.
The match was significant for several reasons. Firstly, it highlighted the importance of building partnerships in T20 cricket. Sri Lanka’s innings was built around the partnership between Kusal Mendis and Avishka Fernando, which helped to steady the innings and set a challenging target for New Zealand.
Secondly, the match highlighted the importance of maintaining discipline in bowling in T20 cricket. Lasith Malinga’s spell was instrumental in restricting the New Zealand batsmen and preventing them from scoring runs freely.
Lastly, the match highlighted the importance of setting a challenging total in T20 cricket. Sri Lanka’s score of 174-4 proved to be too much for New Zealand, who were unable to chase it down.
In conclusion, the first T20 match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand was an exciting encounter, with Sri Lanka emerging as the victors. Sri Lanka’s disciplined bowling, strong partnerships with the bat, and ability to set a challenging total were the key factors in their victory. New Zealand will need to improve in these areas if they are to compete in future T20 series.
