New Zealand torpedoed Sri Lanka for 76 – their fifth lowest ODI total and the worst total against New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland, to secure an emphatic 198-run win in the first ODI. Henry Shipley’s maiden international fifer broke the back of the islanders in pursuit of 274.
The top half of the visiting team was blown away in the first 10 overs itself, with Shipley claiming four of those wickets and Nuwindu Fernando getting run out when he attempted a third run but was sold down the river by his partner Pathum Nissanka. Nuwindu’s dismissal at the start of the third over paved the way for Sri Lanka’s implosion.
Earlier, New Zealand maintain a nice tempo even as they didn’t string big partnerships. The Kiwis struggled to force the pace in the death over as Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara and Chamika Karunaratne entwined to put the brakes on the scoring rate.
Blair Tickner into the action! He gets Angelo Matthews. and the visitors are six down now. Watch play LIVE on @sparknzsport or TVNZ Duke LIVE scoring https://t.co/nudAdDPipf #CricketNation #NZvSL pic.twitter.com/fzzwqzGcuc
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 25, 2023
