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Seifert guides New Zealand to victory in final-over thriller to seal series 2-1

Published

3 years ago

2023/04/8

Priyan

New Zealand pose with the trophy after completing a 2-1 series win (Cricinfo)

Sri Lanka’s death bowling nearly pulled it back from the brink, but New Zealand kept their cool to secure an ultimately comfortable four-wicket win in the third and final T20I in Queenstown and with it a 2-1 series victory.

Tim Seifert anchored a successful chase of 183 with his 48-ball 88, which trumped Kusal Mendis’ 73 off 43 earlier in the day, though Seifert might not have imagined how tense the finish would get when he was dismissed with his side needing just 29 from 23 deliveries with seven wickets in hand.

Overs 17 to 19 would go for just 19 runs, leaving the hosts needing ten to win off the last over. A six off the first delivery seemed to have settled matters but Sri Lanka would land a team hat-trick off the next three balls, with Lahiru Kumara picking up two wickets and effecting a run out.

They might have made it four from four too, but Kumara missed an almost identical run-out chance, allowing New Zealand to steal a bye to the keeper. Rachin Ravindra then struck the winning runs a ball later, as New Zealand breathed a collective sigh of relief. For Sri Lanka, it’s a disappointing end to a tough tour.

Hindsight is often twenty-twenty, but even in the moment, Matt Henry’s three-run final over seemed like it could prove pivotal. The five overs prior had seen Sri Lanka hit 56 runs, and with five wickets in hand and Wanindu Hasaranga and Charith Asalanka at the crease – both capable of comfortably clearing the ropes – Sri Lanka would have been looking to make a charge at a total near 200. But Henry varied his pace and kept it full and wide to keep the over to singles at most. Having gone wicketless for 32 off his previous three, Henry came through clutch at the death, and New Zealand would eventually win with just a ball to spare.

Chad Bowes being dropped in the first over might have been bad for morale and momentum, but Seifert managing to pick up a boundary in nearly every over up until the 17th, in which he was dismissed, was what took Sri Lanka out of the game. His partnerships of 53 and 84 with Bowes and Tom Latham also ensured that even the chaotic loss of wickets at the end wouldn’t derail his side’s chase. Nearly every Sri Lankan bowler went at over 8 an over – Hasaranga ended a dismal tour by his standards with a wicketless four overs for 41 – and Seifert struck at over 170 against all of them barring the always excellent Maheesh Theekshana, who maintained an economy rate of 5.50.

Sri Lanka got off to their best start of the series with Mendis and Pathum Nissanka putting on a 76-run opening stand. Mendis would go on to top score in a destructive innings that saw six fours and five sixes, but also one fraught with a non-insignificant dose of fortune. While a couple of mistimed hits fell just out of reach of onrushing fielders, it was him being dropped at first slip by Daryll Mitchell that really raised eyebrows. Mendis would be offered a second reprieve later on, this time by Ravindra running along the deep-third boundary. One final bit of luck would come to Kusal Perera’s aid, as he would be excellently caught on the boundary line, only for Mitchell to fail to release the ball on time before trodding on the ropes – even with the aid of super slow-mo, a frame’s evidence might have been enough to uphold the on-field decision of out.

If Sri Lanka’s innings was bolstered by uncharacteristic let-offs in the field, New Zealand certainly did their part to undo as much of the damage caused by those blips. James Neesham’s quality take in the deep to dismiss Nissanka set the tone, which was followed by a phenomenal direct hit by Adam Milne from the deep to run out Perera. Dasun Shanaka, who had looked dangerous striking two boundaries off his first five deliveries, saw Bowes hold on to a tricky skier, before Asalanka was run out courtesy of another gun throw from the boundary. That last one was part of Henry’s game-changing final over.

Brief scores:

New Zealand183 for 6 (Seifert 88, Latham 31, Kumara 3-31) beat Sri Lanka 182 for 6 (Mendis 73, Perera 33, Lister 2-37) by four wickets

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INS Udaygiri departs Colombo concluding formal visit

Published

2 hours ago

2026/09/11

Priyan

The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Udaygiri departed the Port of Colombo today, 11 September 2026, following the successful completion of a four day official visit.

On her departure, the Sri Lanka Navy bade farewell to the ship in accordance with time-honoured naval traditions.

During the visit, naval personnel from both navies engaged in joint initiatives to strengthen bilateral ties. These included a friendly volleyball match, a beach cleanup along the Galle Face
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As part of the visit, the Indian Navy handed over a consignment of spares and supplies to the Sri Lanka Navy. Visiting crew members also toured key tourist attractions in and around Colombo.

Official interactions of this nature aim to enhance cooperation and knowledge-sharing between the two maritime forces, supporting joint responses to evolving regional maritime challenges.

News

President meets representatives from Sri Lanka Scout Association

Published

8 hours ago

2026/09/11

Priyan

A meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and representatives of the Sri Lanka Scout Association was held at the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday (10) afternoon .

The President was briefed on the 11th National Scout Jamboree, scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka in January 2027, as well as the current status and progress of its organisational arrangements.

The official logo of the National Scout Jamboree was also presented to the President and officially unveiled on the occasion.

Views were also exchanged on the programmes currently being implemented by the Sri Lanka Scout Association and its future plans.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasised the importance of expanding the Scout Movement to more schools and the contribution that the Scout Movement can make to the Government’s programmes to combat drugs.

President’s Senior Additional Secretary Roshan Gamage; Chief Scout Commissioner, Attorney-at-Law Manoj Nanayakkara; President of the Sri Lanka Scout Association Ransiri Perera; Deputy Chief Scout Commissioner (Acting) Kapila Perera; Chairman of the Executive Committee Kamalnath Jinadasa; and Jamboree Co-Organising Commissioner, Engineer Amil Abeysundara, were among the senior representatives of the Sri Lanka Scout Association who attended the occasion.

[President’s Media Division]

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Published

9 hours ago

2026/09/11

Priyan

A meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Catholic religious leaders, led by His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, was held at the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday (10).

Special attention was given to the Government’s programme to strengthen coexistence, peace and reconciliation among all communities in the country and to ensure national unity by preventing any form of racist or religiously motivated hate activity.

The progress of investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks was also discussed.

Lengthy discussions were held on measures that could be taken to prevent environmental damage and destruction affecting the lives of the people.

The Catholic religious leaders commended the measures taken by the Government to safeguard trust among all communities and expressed their fullest support for these efforts.

The issues faced by Catholic communities, including infrastructure development in areas where Catholic people reside, as well as measures that should be taken to address these issues, were also discussed at length.

Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini, Rev. Fr. Julian Patrick and other priests, as well as Deputy Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs Muneer Mulaffer, President’s Senior Additional Secretary Roshan Gamage and others, were also present at the meeting.

President’s Media Division (PMD)