Sri Lankan wicketkeeper batter Kusal Perera pulled off an all-timer, smashing the fastest century by a Sri Lankan batter in T20Is against New Zealand at the Saxton Oval in the first international clash of the New Year 2025 on Thursday, January 2. Kusal Perera smashed a 44-ball century while breaking a slew of records as his whirlwind knock propelled Sri Lanka to their second-highest T20I total of 218 runs, which was eventually enough for the visitors to avoid a series sweep by the Kiwis.
Kusal Perera rode his luck to shatter multiple records by cracking a career-best 101 off just 46 balls as Sri Lanka secured a consolation seven-run victory in the third and final Twenty20 match against New Zealand in Nelson on Thursday. The left-hander hit the fastest T20I century by a Sri Lankan off just 44 balls and also broke Kusal Mendis’ record for most 50-plus scores in T20Is by a Sri Lankan. This was Kusal Perera’s 16th 50-plus score in the shortest format.
Pitch Report and Toss
Pitch Report : Only two T20Is have been played at the Saxton Oval so far. The average first innings score is 184. Teams batting first won on both occasions. A lot of runs can be expected at the venue if the batters are willing to see out the new ball, which might swing around for the first couple of overs.
Players can expect pristine conditions for batting at the Saxton Oval in Nelson, with a hint of seam movement and extra bounce for the fast bowlers as well. The venue has so far hosted two men’s T20I matches, and the average first innings total here has amounted to a staggering 183.
The teams batting first have won both of the men’s T20Is hosted by the Saxton Oval in Nelson. Even in terms of the venue’s overall T20I record, the chasing sides have managed to win just two out of the eight matches played here.
Toss : New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner won the toss and chose to bowl with no changes in the playing XI. Sri Lankan skipper Charith Asalanka batting first made two changes in the playing XI bringing in Avishka Fernando and Chamindu Wickramasinghe for Matheesha Pathirana and Kamindu Mendis.
Kusal Perera’s fastest T20I ton and Charith Asalanka’s late fireworks powers SL to 218 for 5 in 20 overs
Having batted first in the first two games, Mitchell Santner sought a different route to success with his unchanged XI and asked the visitors to take first strike. His decision was perhaps influenced by overnight rains in Nelson that left the pitch under covers and forced a half-an-hour delay to the start of the game.
The game got off to a sedate start but burst into life in the third over when Pathum Nissanka hit Matt Henry for a four and a six and then top-edged a pull that ‘keeper Mitchell Hay got under after running all the way back to the boundary ropes behind him.
The rollercoaster nature of the game was telegraphed right from the start. Sri Lanka lost three of their top four inside the opening 10 overs, and their openers inside the powerplay, but they didn’t let that slow them down.
Kusal Mendis struck 22 off 16, Pathum Nissanka 14 off 12 and Avishka Fernando 17 off 12, as Sri Lanka kept a steady rate of around eight an over. Despite the early wickets, it could have been better too, had New Zealand held on to miscued reverse sweep off Perera when he was on just 15. Despite taking two excellent grabs to dismiss both Nissanka and Mendis, it was the chance they will likely look back on and regret.
Kusal Perera walked in and copped a blow to his helmet grille off the first ball he faced. Thereafter, it was mostly him doling out all the punishment. Sri Lanka were only 49 for 2 after the PowerPlay and needed Kusal Perera and an under-fire middle-order to provide the impetus through the middle phase.
Kusal Perera began the phase with a pair of boundaries off Michael Bracewell, the second of them somewhat fortuitous as a tough catch was put down. Bracewell was then struck for another four and a six by Avishka Fernando and the 25 runs he conceded from his two overs effectively swung the momentum the visitors’ way.
A smart review from Santner cut short Fernando’s innings on 17 but that dismissal in the 10th over united Kusal Perera with captain Asalanka, who had implored his middle order to do better after the two losses. After the rallying call, Asalanka led the charge himself as he hit Zakary Foulkes for a six and a four straight down the ground in a 17-run over. Kusal Perera then heaved Glenn Phillips for a six over cow corner before completing his half-century off just 27 balls.
Despite losing three wickets, Sri Lanka’s score of 85 after the first 10 overs constituted their best score at the halfway mark of an innings all series. But the 10 overs to follow would put that tally comfortably in the shade. Led by a belligerent Kusal Perera, and aided by some short boundaries at Nelson, Sri Lanka proceeded to plunder 133 runs off the final 10 overs – and that could have been considerably more if not for two excellent overs at the death from Mitchell and Duffy.
Those two overs went for six each, but that Sri Lanka still ended up on an mammoth 218 speaks towards the damage done in the overs that preceded them – particularly devastating was a four-over period from overs 14-18 that brought 75 runs. Much of that was down to Kusal Perera, whose century came at a strike rate above 200 and included 13 fours and four sixes.
While he initially targeted the boundaries behind square with a catalogue of sweeps, switch hits and outright slogs, by the end his knock was a true 360 exhibition – a monster six over cover to bring up his century emphatically ramming home the point. He was kept company by an equally combative Asalanka, who struck 46 off 24 during a 100-run fourth wicket stand that came off just 45 deliveries.
The southpaws continued to take down spin, the 15th over bowled by Santner costing 22 runs with Asalanka clubbing his counterpart for a pair of sixes while Perera added a couple of fours while surviving another drop. The next three overs brought Sri Lanka 53 runs as Kusal Perera took only 14 deliveries to go from 50 to 100.
Sri Lanka were two down in the powerplay but that didn’t deter Kusal Perera from keeping New Zealand bowlers under pressure. Kusal Perera kept going for his shots and eventually got the rewards. The left-hander got to his half-century off just 27 balls before smashing the remaining fifty runs in just 17 deliveries.
Kusal Perera became only the third Sri Lankan batter to get to a T20I century and the fastest off just 44 balls, breaking Tillakaratne Dilshan’s record. Kusal Perera with his century also became the record holder for Sri Lanka being the batter with the most fifty-plus scores in the format (16), surpassing Kusal Mendis on the list.
He became only the third Sri Lankan to hit a T20I ton – behind Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene – by slamming three sixes off a Henry over. Asalanka fell for a 24-ball 46 but had more than played his part in a 100-run stand that came in just 45 deliveries. To New Zealand’s credit, they sent down two solid overs at the death as Mitchell and Jacob Duffy gave away just six runs each in the final two overs to keep Sri Lanka to 218.
Charith Asalanka’s 3-fer the unlikely hero in Sri Lanka’s 7 run win over NZ as Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell’s efforts went in vain.
The hosts rode on that late momentum with a surge at the start of the chase as Tim Robinson and Ravindra added 81 for the first wicket in just 7.2 overs. Robinson was faster out of the blocks in the PowerPlay, scoring his 36 runs at a strike-rate touching 200. Ravindra caught up when he welcomed Wanindu Hasaranga with a pair of sixes before earning himself a reprieve later in the over as Bhanuka Rajapaksa put down a sharp chance at backward point.
The middle overs against spin was going to be decisive given Sri Lanka’s success against it earlier in the afternoon. Straight after Binura Fernando broke the opening stand, Asalanka brought himself on to bowl the ninth over against two left-handers and was duly lofted for a six by Mark Chapman.
Regardless of the match situation you can always count on New Zealand to come out with an effective plan, and their chase in Nelson was a prime example. Most sides would be overawed when hunting down a target of 219, but from the very first over of the chase New Zealand set the tone as Tim Robinson and Rachin Ravindra each took Chamindu Wickramasinghe for a boundary each.
This was followed by a five-run over by Nuwan Thushara, but New Zealand made up for that by taking on Sri Lanka’s most effective seamer this series, Binura Fernando, for 18 off his opening over. Sixty three runs were scored inside the powerplay, but the onslaught only continued afterwards. By the halfway point New Zealand had run up 108 runs and still had eight wickets in hand.
With Thushara and Binura being saved for the death overs and Theekshana having an off day, Asalanka was left with a conundrum through the middle overs. Was he going to rely on the green Wickramasinghe to handle the fifth bowler quota on his own, or would he bowl a few himself
He ended up opting for the latter, and it might just be what swung the game in Sri Lanka’s direction. In his first over the Lankan skipper removed Mark Chapman, before taking out Glenn Phillips in his second. But it was his third that brought the big fish, sliding one past Ravindra’s inside edge to dismiss the New Zealand opener for a 39-ball 69.
Perhaps Asalanka overestimated his capabilities in bowling himself out, and was duly punished by Mitchell. But his breakthroughs meant New Zealand would be forced to score heavily off Sri Lanka’s frontline bowlers at the death.
The Sri Lankan captain, however, hit back two balls later when Chapman hit one straight to deep midwicket. He found more success in the next over when his wide lines accounted for Glenn Phillips, who found the man at sweeper cover. Asalanka then put the visitors firmly on top in his third when he cleaned up Ravindra for a 39-ball 69.
There were, however, still some tidal shifts to come. Having given away just 25 from his first three overs, Asalanka was taken for an identical number of runs from his last over as Mitchell took full toll of his lengths to strike four sixes down the ground. With the equation now reduced to 51 from 30, New Zealand now held the upper hand.
Despite Asalanka’s strikes, Mitchell’s monster striking had brought the equation down to 51 from 30 with six wickets in hand. At that point it seemed like the hard work had been all but done, but New Zealand just couldn’t stick the landing. Hasaranga’s double-wicket 16th over did much to reverse to momentum that had swung New Zealand’s way through Mitchell’s onslaught. And then when Mitchell fell an over later, looking to take on Thushara, the writing seemed on the wall.
But Hasaranga swung the game right back Sri Lanka’s way when his 16th over went for just two runs and brought the wickets of Hay and Bracewell. The hosts were dealt a body blow when Mitchell holed out in the following over bowled by Nuwan Thushara. It came down to New Zealand needing 22 off the final over, an equation that proved to be a little too far fetched.
Foulkes however ensured Sri Lanka were made to work for their win with some powerful hitting at the death, but the visitors just about managed to hold on. New Zealand lost four wickets for 48 runs and needed a couple of finishing acts. Daryl Mitchell tried his best with cameos from skipper Santner and Zak Foulkes but just fell short as Sri Lanka won the series finale and the hosts took the series 2-1.
Presentations and Road Ahead
Mitchell Santner the series winning NZ skipper said : It was a pretty good surface, they made the most of it. Great pitch in front of a great crowd. It’s nice to get around the country and see the turnout we saw. Nice to perform in front of the New Zealand crowd.
The way you play is pretty similar, we have got to adapt to conditions in Wellington, we were pretty good in all three games, lots of learnings and a lot of positives in the series. Today we came up on the wrong side, but youngsters coming up and performing, that’s what we can ask for going forward.
Charith Asalanka the losing series SL skipper said : It’s a good win for us. Throughout the series, we have played good cricket but did not manage to win but today we got it. I was bowling in home conditions, not here, today we were short of one bowler, that’s the main reason to bowl.
It’s a momentum shift for us, adapting to conditions is key to success here. Congrats to New Zealand for the series win and looking forward to the ODIs. [on Kusal Perera] No words for that, since 2013 or something we got a T20I century, we were looking for a 100, he played amazing.
Jacob Duffy Player of the Series for his outstanding bowling said : Amazing series win against a very strong Sri Lankan team and happy to be a part of it. It’s good to put pressure at the death and Kusal’s knock today was very good. Playing for the country is a huge honor and this time of the year to play in front of such crowds is amazing. It’s been awesome and expect more of it.
Kusal Perera Player of the Match for his scintillating ton said : It’s always a pleasure to score a 100. When I faced the first ball today, was like a wake-up call. You need to adjust to the extra bounce and conditions here. I always try to back myself and play my natural game. These conditions are helpful for the seamers, the last two games we did not get a start, once you get a start here you need to make it count. That’s what I tried to do.
In the end Sri Lanka did enough. That’s not something you’d expect to say about a team that had racked up 218 runs in their first innings, but it speaks towards just how well New Zealand had set about their chase for most of the innings. Indeed, for about 15 overs of the chase New Zealand were keeping up with the nearly 11-an-over required rate, and when Daryl Mitchell struck Charith Asalanka for four consecutive sixes in a 25-run 15th over they might have even been ahead.
Sri Lanka then thought they had done enough with a couple of wickets at the death, before Zachary Foulkes’ final-over fireworks provided yet another scare. But despite frayed nerves, Sri Lanka held on to close out a consolatory seven-run win – their first in New Zealand since 2006.
It was a victory setup largely by Kusal Perera’s maiden T20I ton, the fastest ever by a Sri Lankan, coming off just 44 deliveries. Having entered inside the powerplay, he fell with less than two overs left in the innings, and such was the impact of his innings even a run-a-ball final two overs couldn’t prevent Sri Lanka from registering their second-highest T20I total ever.
Asalanka also played a starring role – despite the treatment meted out by Mitchell – backing up his 46 with the bat with a three-wicket haul that derailed New Zealand’s well-planned chase. He also took a scorcher of a catch at extra cover to cap an impressive outing. There was however no looking beyond Perera for the player of the match award.
Jacob Duffy, a thorn in Sri Lanka’s side throughout the series, picked up just the solitary wicket this time round, although his economy rate of 7.50 was still the best of any bowler that bowled at least two overs in the game. He was deservedly named player of the series.
A consolation win for Sri Lanka. New Zealand tried hard but quick wickets starting with Hay’s and some good bowling at the death from Binura Fernando and Thushara helped them win this one. Ravindra who flopped in the first two matches came good today and hit the ball cleanly to make 69.
Then Mitchell struck four consecutive sixes off Asalanka to bring New Zealand back into it. Then Hay got out and Bracewell and Mitchell went soon after. Sri Lanka after that saw it out. The damage was done with the ball by skipper Asalanka who took three crucial wickets after a good opening stand between Robinson and Ravindra. Hasaranga too chipped in with two key strikes while Thushara was superb with his swinging yorkers. Sri Lanka will be happy to have won today after losing the series.
The series trophy is presented to Mitch Santner who flashes a big smile and then the New Zealand side pose with the trophy. They are all smiles. That ends the T20I series. We have the ODIs next starting on January 4th (5th in India). The two teams will now get ready for the three-match ODI series starting Sunday, January 5 in Wellington.