NZ VS SL - 3rd T20I, Sri Lanka tour New Zealand, 2023

The New Zealand summer has ended and it has ended on a high for the hosts. They'll now travel to Pakistan for a series of white-ball games. Sri Lanka will go back home to host the Irish in a 2-Test series. Lots of cricket coming up. Do follow it up on our site. For now, cheers and bye..

17:40 Local Time, 04:40 GMT, 10:10 IST: New Zealand take the series by a 2-1 margin, they took the game till the penultimate ball, almost committed harakiri, but have managed to get over a spirited Sri Lankan side. It didn't look like going this way when Tim Seifert was bashing the ball all across the John Davies Oval. Chasing 183, they started briskly with Bowes and Seifert adding 53 for the opening wicket, it was followed by another 84-run partnership for the second wicket with Latham playing the anchor. At 154 for 2, they were coasting along, needing 29 from the last 4 overs - Seifert ran out of luck, but Mitchell and Chapman kept the scoreboard ticking, they could't find the boundaries until the first ball of the 20th over, but they then nearly panicked, lost 3 wickets in 3 balls and had to rely on Ravindra's cool head to sneak home. Sri Lanka will reflect on some missed chances, none more than the sitter that Pramod dropped in the very 1st over, allowing Bowes to get away and play his part in a brisk opening partnership. They will look back on the tour with less then fond memories - a chance of WTC final slipping away on the final day of the 1st Test, a hammering in Wellington to seal a 2-0 whitewash, followed by a 2-0 loss in the ODI series which saw them miss out on automatic qualification to the 2023 CWC later this year, and then being beaten by a team that was shorn of its stars in the T20Is series.

Kumara to Ravindra, 2 runs, Ravindra wins it for NZ, short of a good length and well wide of off, cut away backward of square on the off-side, into the gap and Ravindra scampers across for the second run. Kumara is down on his knees, but he's played a part in this thriller

2 needed off 2 balls

Kumara to Milne, byes, 1 run, a run-out chance missed, and they sneak in a bye - short and just outside off - Milne threw his bat and missed, they were always going through for a single. The throw came at the bowler who fumbled, recovered well and then had an under-arm shy, but somehow missed with all three stumps to aim at, allowing Milne to scramble home

Adam Milne, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Kumara to Mitchell, out Caught by Shanaka!! Now, Mitchell falls and New Zealand are throwing it away - hard length doing the trick for Kumara, short of a good length and climbing across the right-hander, Mitchell was shaping for the pull, doesn't get on top of the bounce, a steepling top-edge back over the bowler's head, Shanaka kept his calm after moving to his right from mid-off and pouces the catch. oh dear, have New Zealand slipped up here? Mitchell c Shanaka b Kumara 15(16)

Kumara to Mitchell, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Rachin Ravindra, left handed bat, comes to the crease

3 needed off 4 balls, it's still NZ's game to lose

Kumara to Neesham, wide, out Neesham Run Out!! Neesham has been run-out off a wide, Kumara sprays one miles wide of off, left alone and then they try to steal an extra run - it wasn't there at all, Kusal Mendis passes the ball through to the bowler, who turns around and breaks the stumps, catching Neesham yards short. At least they got a run and have Mitchell on strike now. Neesham run out (Kusal Mendis/Kumara) 0(0)

Kumara to Neesham, THATS OUT!! Run Out!!

James Neesham, left handed bat, comes to the crease

Kumara to Chapman, out Caught by Asalanka!! Another twist here? Chapman was looking to end it in style - on a good length and angling across the left-hander, was always a risk trying to flay it over mid-wicket - Chapman shuffled across and is undone by the angle, sliced it off the thick outside edge, high and down Asalanka's throat, moving to his left from cover. A pressure catch and he holds on with ease. Chapman c Asalanka b Kumara 16(12) [4s-1 6s-1]

Kumara to Chapman, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Kumara to Chapman, SIX, clubbed, that should be the game for New Zealand, Kumara starts with the slower ball, but unlike Madhushan, he's missed his length, length ball sitting up and Chapman has hacked it over mid-wicket for a maximum

Lahiru Kumara [3.0-0-29-1] is back into the attack

New Zealand now need 10 from the final over, how did they take it to the final over after Seifert's heroics? Chapman and Mitchell just haven't found the boundary - a long meeting and Shanaka once again takes it onto himself to bowl the final over? No, he's handed the ball over to Kumara

Pramod to Chapman, 1 run, an excellent 19th over from Madushan, spears the yorker on middle and Chapman can only flick it behind square on the on-side for a single

Pramod to Mitchell, 1 run, back of a length slower ball outside off - Mitchell slaps it down to long-off for a single