Watch cricket video highlights of Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand 2024. Second ODI between Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Venue of the match will be Hamilton.
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Rachin Ravindra and Mark Chapman’s 112-run second wicket partnership was the cornerstone of New Zealand’s sweeping victory of 255 for 9 in their 37 overs. The highest order in Sri Lanka then collapsed and burnt once more. Their hopes of tying the series were all but scuppered as they were 4 for 22 in the opening five overs. Despite his best efforts, Kamindu Mendis’ 64 was insufficient to turn around this innings. After suffering a crushing loss to New Zealand in the first ODI, Sri Lanka fell by 113 runs.
Despite being severely weakened by injuries and absences, New Zealand wins the series. Even in a match with less rain, Sri Lanka is practically at full strength, but their top five’s failure still haunts them. There were also several stutters in New Zealand. They were modest in the end since New Zealand managed to muster no more than 63 in the final 10 overs, losing five wickets during that time, thanks to the effectiveness of Maheesh Theekshana, who took a hat-trick in his final two overs.
However, they didn’t make a huge mistake that would have undone the Ravindra-Chapman stand’s effort. They contributed through the middle, with Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, and Daryl Mitchell all contributing. Then came their self-assured seam bowlers, who made an impression even with the older ball. Matt Henry and Nathan Smith each got a wicket, Will O’Rourke took three for thirty-one, and Jacob Duffy took two for thirty. Kamindu and Janith Liyanage put on 57 runs together for the fifth wicket, the sole indication of a partnership.
Apart from that, New Zealand was gradually moving up the batting order till they had them all out in 31 overs. From the start, Sri Lanka’s needed rate was 6.92. Even while this looks like a huge task, the surface was suitable for batting, and several bowlers were finding it difficult to handle a moist ball since rain had delayed play by two and a half hours. However, Sri Lanka needed to get off to a good start to get this chase going, but instead they collapsed. In the second over, Pathum Nissanka miscued a lofted drive against Duffy and holed out to mid-off.
Avishka Fernando then smashed a ball from Henry straight to point just after Kusal Mendis had pulled ahead in Duffy’s subsequent over. Sri Lanka’s downward spiral was prolonged by captain Charith Asalanka’s terrible run-judging. At mid-off, he had called his partner through after blocking one that was headed for Mitchell Santner. Santner caught Asalanka meters short after swooping in the ball and hitting the stumps with an underarm throw. Only on Sunday had Kamindu faced the same outfield in a very similar manner.
Only two specialist hitters and two all-rounders remained for Sri Lanka to score 234 runs off 194 deliveries at the time of Asalanka’s elimination. They didn’t make much progress. In contrast, the top order of New Zealand, led by Ravindra (79 off 63) and Chapman (62 off 52), placed their team in a strong position within the first 22 overs. The most striking aspect of their stand was the ease with which both hitters appeared to score runs. As usual, Ravindra had a lot of runs to leg and was powerful through the offside.
He made particularly effective use of the sweep and the pick-up shot off the pads. Chapman, on the other hand, scored 46 off of his 63 runs in that way and was noticeably stronger on the legside. To reach his fifty off forty-four balls and the century partnership, he blasted two sixes, one over midwicket off a short ball from Eshan Malinga and another top edged over the keeper. Off Hasaranga, Ravindra had also reached his half-century with a six. To get there, he needed forty-three balls.
Asitha Fernando had earlier dismissed Will Young with a superb jagging delivery, but Sri Lanka’s seamers did not put Ravindra or Chapman through much. The spinners really caused some trouble; between them, Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga claimed six wickets. Sri Lanka played good fielding and made more mistakes in the second half of the innings. Theekshana’s hat-trick included some tumbling catches in the deep from Kamindu and Chamindu Wickramasinghe, while Asalanka got rid of Ravindra with a superb diving grab at short cover.
However, New Zealand surpassed them even in the field. The day’s best catch came from Nathan Smith, who rushed down the deep-third boundary, pushed himself off balance, and got his outstretched right arm to a ball that may have otherwise flown over the boundary to remove Malinga. Their ground fielding was outstanding once more.
