New Delhi: Rain washed away the third and final ODI between New Zealand and Sri Lanka on Tuesday. Only 21 overs of play were completed after which incessant rain forced the umpires to call off the match in Pallekele.
Sri Lanka had taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the first two matches and had clinched the series following their three-wicket win on Sunday. The third and final game was a dead rubber.
The ODI series victory was Sri Lanka’s fifth in the year. “We had a very good year,” Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka said.
“We have put in lot of hard work this year,” he said. “We wanted to give players a fair run and that faith is paying back.”
Before rain spoled proceedings, New Zealand won the toss and decided to bat and looked set to post a decent total after Will Young and Henry Nicholls put together an 88-run partnership for the second wicket.
It pulled the Black Caps to 112 for 1 in 21 overs before it began to rain as Young remained unbeaten on 56 runs off 68 balls.
It was the right-handers ninth half-century in ODIs that was studded with eight boundaries while Nicholls remained unbeaten on 46 from 51 balls.
New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner lamented the washout. “We had a good start and it was a pretty good wicket. We were eyeing a big score,” he said.
Sri Lanka got an early wicket as Asalanka pulled off a superb diving catch to dismiss opener Tim Robinson that was Mohamed Shiraz’s first international wicket.
New Zealand then steadied themselves as Sri Lanka rested Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis and Asitha Fernando and left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage.
It paved the way for seamer all-rounder Chamindu Wickramasinghe to make his debut as New Zealand also brought in pacer Adam Milne and handed debut to all-rounder Zakary Foulkes, resting Nathan Smith and Jacob Duffy.
Sri Lanka had taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the first two matches and had clinched the series following their three-wicket win on Sunday. The third and final game was a dead rubber. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
