Only 21 overs of play were possible at Pallekele International Stadium in the final ODI of the three-match series, thus handing Sri Lanka the affair by a 2-0 scoreline. The Kiwis were well placed at 112/1 when play stopped, with Will Young unbeaten on 56 and Henry Nicholls nearing a half-century.
Brief score: NZ 112/1 (21) (Young 56*(68), Nicholls 46*(51); Shiraz 1/23(5)) vs SL produced no result due to rain.
Opting to bat first, New Zealand got off to a glorious start courtesy of Tim Robinson’s gorgeous boundary through cover in Dilshan Madushanka’s opening over before an edge on the last ball earned the opener another four runs. However, his success was short-lived as Charith Asalanka took a brilliant leaping catch at mid-off to dispatch Robinson for nine and earn Mohammed Shiraz his maiden international wicket.
Nevertheless, the Kiwis kept gunning along through Will Young and Henry Nicholls, the former scoring seven boundaries in the powerplay to set a solid foundation of 59/1 after 10 overs. Once the field spread out, Asalanka turned to his spinners but the Black Caps kept milking them at above five an over. Young brought up his ninth ODI half-century off 60 deliveries and Nicholls was also four runs away from the landmark when heavy showers descended upon Pallekele. Despite a couple of breaks, the rain inevitably returned and after a four-hour wait, the umpires decided to call it a day.
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