Asalanka, bowlers give Sri Lanka a winning start

Charith Asalanka's unbeaten 35 in a tricky chase powered Sri Lanka's 1-0 lead in Dambulla after his bowlers had combined well to make the most of the conditions that offered generous turn. Asalanka's spin trifecta - Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana - picked six wickets between them to regularly dent New Zealand before Zakary Foulkes helped the visitors to a competent total. New Zealand bowlers complicated the chase for Sri Lanka, but not enough to defend their total successfully.

Wellalage was the earliest benefactor of the said turn, as he started by striking in his first over to clean up New Zealand opener Tim Robinson. New Zealand lost a couple more inside the PowerPlay as Nuwan Thusara snuffed out Mark Chapman in the fourth over and Maheesh Theekshana trapped Will Young LBW.

Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell's attempts to kick on after the PowerPlay went only till the ninth over when the former was trapped leg before by a wrong 'un from Hasaranga. New Zealand lost their fifth in the 10th over when debutant Mitch Hay nicked one behind to give Mathesha Pathirana his first wicket. The fast bowler got another in his next over with a short ball that Josh Clarkson top-edged to Kamindu Mendis at fine leg. Bracewell continued to throw his bat around to drag New Zealand forward, but was stopped in his tracks in the 15th over by Thushara. Mitchell Santner then became another victim to Hasaranga's googly, getting stumped in the 16th to leave the visitors struggling at 96/8.

Foulkes and Ish Sodhi then pushed the team past 100 with a vital 39-run stand. Foulkes finished unbeaten on 27 off 16 as New Zealand post 135/9 in 20 overs, giving their bowlers something to work with on a tricky surface.

At different times in the chase, it looked that the New Zealand bowlers had enough to weave their magic, but came up short in the end. Santner dismissed Kusal Mendis in the second over but Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera hit back with 38 runs in three PowerPlay overs to get the chase going. Nissanka looked to throw Foulkes off track when the pacer was introduced too, but had his stumps disturbed instead in the sixth over. Bracewell then trapped Perera in the seventh to push Sri Lanka to 55/3.

Once again, just as it looked like New Zealand could wrestle back some control, Sri Lanka teed off. This time, through their captain Charith Asalanka who tonked two sixes - over long-off and mid-wicket - to take his team to 78/3 in 10 overs. The pendulum of momentum swung wildly again with the introduction of Glenn Phillips, who lucked out with a wicket off a half-tracker that Kamindu Mendis mishit to Ish Sodhi who ran forward from short third to take a catch. Foulkes turned the screws further with the wicket of Bhanuka Rajapaksa in the following over to leave Sri Lanka five down. Asalanka and Hasaranga then stitched a partnership that put the result beyond doubt, even as the latter was dismissed in the 18th over for a 23-ball 22.

Just seven were needed from the last 12, which Sri Lanka got through a four and a six tonked by Wellalage in the penultimate over.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 135 in 19.3 overs (Michael Bracewell 27, Zakary Foulkes 27*; Dunith Wellalage 3-20, Wanindu Hasaranga 2-20, Nuwan Thushara 2-14, Matheesha Pathirana 2-29) lost to Sri Lanka 140/6 in 19 overs (Charith Asalanka 35*; Zakary Foulkes 3-20) by 4 wickets