Sri Lanka clinched a commanding 2-0 ODI series victory against New Zealand, showcasing their strong batting and disciplined bowling, despite the final match being abandoned due to rain in Pallekele.
The final match of the series in Pallekele was affected by rain, leading to the abandonment of the third ODI between Sri Lanka and New Zealand. As a result, Sri Lanka claimed a 2-0 series victory, marking their fifth ODI series win of the year and showcasing their strong performance in 2024. Although the inclement weather prevented fans from witnessing a thrilling finish, the outcome highlighted Sri Lanka's superiority in the series, especially following their dominant victories in the initial two matches.
The match started off on a positive note, as a newly prepared pitch provided excellent batting conditions, a noticeable difference from the slow surfaces encountered in previous games. New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first, beginning their innings steadily and maintaining a scoring rate of just below six runs per over.
Although they started steadily, the initial momentum largely stemmed from Sri Lanka's left-arm seamer, Dilshan Madushanka, who had a difficult time in his opening overs, yielding 23 runs. This laid the groundwork for a challenging day for Madushanka, who had only a year prior been one of the most in-demand seamers following a remarkable World Cup performance in India. However, on this occasion, his display fell short of expectations, as all five of New Zealand's first boundaries were struck off his deliveries.
In contrast, the Sri Lankan bowlers, spearheaded by Mohamed Shiraz, demonstrated much greater discipline. Shiraz, in only his second ODI appearance, made an immediate impact by taking the sole wicket of the innings. His delivery to Tim Robinson, which resulted in an outside edge caught brilliantly by captain Charith Asalanka at mid-off, was a standout moment in an otherwise unremarkable fielding performance. Shiraz's five overs conceded just 23 runs, and his late swing proved troublesome for both Robinson and Will Young, as evidenced by the 20 dot balls out of 30 legal deliveries, showcasing his control.
Even though they lost some early wickets, New Zealand maintained a steady scoring rate, as Young and Henry Nicholls formed a solid partnership. When the rain interruption occurred after 21 overs, they were not out on scores of 56 and 46, respectively, with their partnership totaling 88 runs from 106 balls.
Although the match being called off was a disappointing end to the series, it offered both teams an opportunity to test their squad depth. New Zealand gave debuts to seamer Zakary Foulkes, who had made a strong impression during the T20I series, and Adam Milne, who came in for Nathan Smith and Jacob Duffy in the lineup.
Sri Lanka made five alterations to their playing XI, with Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Dunith Wellalage, and Asitha Fernando stepping aside. They brought in batters Nishan Madushka and Nuwanidu Fernando, along with seamer Madushanka and Shiraz, while Chamindu Wickramasinghe made his debut as a seam-bowling all-rounder.
While the rain may have denied us a conclusive outcome, the true narrative of the series lies in Sri Lanka’s overall performance. Their bowlers, notably the impressive Shiraz, along with the steady contributions from their top-order batting, were crucial elements in securing a comprehensive victory. This triumph in the series reinforces Sri Lanka’s stature as an emerging power in international cricket, showcasing promising depth in both their batting and bowling line-ups.
