Sports
Sri Lanka prevail in Super Over to register first win on the tour
In a game of massive ebbs and flows, it needed a Super Over to settle things between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in the first T20I in Auckland on Sunday (April 2). In the end, the visitors held their nerve to get across the line.
The tone for the game was set in the PowerPlay by Sri Lanka after they were put into bat on a fabulous batting surface at Eden Park. Kusal Mendis’ cameo created impetus from the word go as did Dhananjaya de Silva but it was the partnership between Kusal Perera and Charith Asalanka that put the Lankans in pole position.
After a rollicking powerplay that yielded 72 runs, Perera and Asalanka ensured that the momentum wasn’t wasted by stitching a 103-run partnership off just 68 deliveries. Both got fifties and Perera batted through to control the innings from one end, even though it was Asalanka’s knock that really put the visitors in front.
New Zealand did pull things back brilliantly between overs 17-19 with some crafty death bowling but Wanindu Hasaranga’s breezy cameo meant that 18 came off the 20th over to give Sri Lanka the ideal finish to the innings.
It was a par score and the task got even more tougher for the hosts as they lost both their openers within seven deliveries of the run chase. Skipper Tom Latham played a few shots to get the innings going but when he fell, it seemed like New Zealand would slip away, despite a well-set Daryl Mitchell at the other end.
But Mitchell got excellent support from Mark Chapman as the duo went about rebuilding the chase. Slowly but steadily, New Zealand were back in it and a 24-run over from Dilshan Madushanka actually put the hosts in front.
Sri Lanka, though, hung in there with timely strikes through their spin twins, and Pramod Madushan with Dasun Shanaka also nipping a couple. Rachin Ravindra threatened to finish the game off with his audacious cameo but it was not to be. With 13 needed off the last over, Ravindra fell first ball and one more time it appeared like the game was done. Only for the final twist to emerge.
A couple of twos and as many singles later, New Zealand were left with the task of needing seven off the final delivery to win – realistically a six to tie the game. With Ish Sodhi on strike, the chance of that happening was quite low. But, the leg spinner produced an astounding hit under pressure, shuffling across early and then calmly chipping it over deep mid-wicket for a maximum.
The momentum was with New Zealand heading into the Super Over but they ran into Maheesh Theekshana who unleashed a cracking set of six deliveries to go with the outstanding spell he had bowled earlier in the game. Only eight were scored and Asalanka nailed them off with two blows to give Sri Lanka their first win on the tour.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 196/5 (Asalanka 67, Perera 53, Neesham 2-30) beat New Zealand 196/8 (Mitchell 66, Chapman 33, Shanaka 2-2) in the Super Over.
(Cricbuzz)
(Cricbuzz)
Sri Lanka elected to bat first in the second ODI against England at the R Premadasa International Stadium
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando
England: Rehan Ahmed, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, 4Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (capt), Jos Buttler (wk), Will Jacks, Sam Curran, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid
Tanzid Hasan’s century propelled Rajshahi Warriors to their first BPL trophy, after they beat Chattogram Royals by 63 runs in the final.
Tanzid became the third batter after Tamim Iqbal and Chris Gayle to score a century in the BPL final, helping Rajshahi to a competitive 174 for 4 after batting first.
Chattogram, the underdog side of the tournament which came good despite not having a proper team owner, were bowled out for 111 runs in 17.5 overs. Sri Lanka fast bowler Binura Fernando took four wickets, and left-arm spinner Hasan Murad took three wickets.
It was Rajshahi’s batting that set the tone for the win. They got an early boost when openers Tanzid and Sahibzada Farhan added 83 runs for the first wicket in 10.2 overs. Farhan made a run-a-ball 30 with two fours and a six, but it was Tanzid who held Rajshahi’s innings together. He added 47 runs with Kane Williamson, before reaching his third T20 century, off 61 balls. Tanzid struck seven sixes and six fours, before falling for 100 in the penultimate over.
Shoriful Islam took his BPL tally to 26 wickets for the season with two wickets, while Mukidul Islam was Chattogram’s best bowler on the day, taking 2 for 20 from his four overs.
Fernando gave Rajshahi another good start with the ball, removing Mohammad Naim and Mahmudul Hasan Joy in the third over. He returned to remove Asif Ali and Shoriful Islam to finish with excellent figures of 4 for 9.
Murad then struck, first with the big wicket of Hassan Nawaz, followed by wickets of Chattogram captain Mahedi Hasan and Mirza Baig. Chattogram’s chase never really took off, as the rest of the Rajshahi bowlers took control after Murad’s four overs.
Brief scores:
Rajshahi Warriors 174 for 4 in 20 overs (Tanzid Hasan 100, Sahibzada Farhan 30, Kane Williamson 24, Najmul Hossain Shanto 11; Shoriful Islam 2-33, Mukidul Islam 2-20) beat Chattogram Royals 111 in 17.5 overs (Mirza Baig 39, Hasan Nawaz 11, Zahiduzzaman 11, Asif Ali 21; Binura Fernando 4-90, James Neesham 2-24, Abdul Gaffar Saqlain 1-24, Hasan Murad 3-15) by 63 runs
[Cricinfo]
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