BENGALURU: Left-arm pace bowler Trent Boult returned with impressive figures of 3-37 as New Zealand booked Sri Lanka at a meagre 171 in the 41st ICC World Cup 2023 match at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson opted to bowl first and his bowlers justified the decision reducing Sri Lanka to 70-5 inside the first ten overs.
Sri Lanka’s opening batter Kusal Perera was the only batter who posed a threat to New Zealand’s brilliant bowling, scoring a majority of the team’s total.
He scored a blistering 51 run-knock from 28 balls, with the help of nine boundaries and two sixes.
Sri Lanka further slipped to 105-7, bringing Maheesh Theekshana to the ground with New Zealand eyeing to wrap things up quickly.
Theekshana stood on the other end, as he lost two partners before Dilshan Madushanka joined him and together they knitted a cautious 43-run partnership for the last wicket from 87 balls.
Theekshana played his career-best knock in ODI cricket, scoring an unbeaten 38 runs from 91 balls with the help of three boundaries, while his partner Madushanka scored 19, his highest individual in any form of cricket.
Rachin Ravindra finally ended the frustrating partnership, as Madushanka got caught behind, thus ending the Sri Lankan innings at 171.
Trent Boult topped the wickets chart for New Zealand, while Ravindra, Lockie Ferguson and Mitchell Santner picked two wickets each.
