Perera, Asalanka Star in Sri Lanka's Consolation Win

Sri Lanka won a high-scoring thriller in the dead-rubber final T20I at the Saxton Oval in Nelson, riding on a blistering 46-ball 101 from Kusal Perera and his century stand with captain Charith Asalanka. The visitors posted 218 and although New Zealand were in the hunt to register their highest successful chase in the format, they eventually fell short by seven runs.

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. Perera walked in and copped a blow to his helmet grille off the first ball he faced, but then dolled out all the punishment. He began the middle phase with a pair of boundaries off Michael Bracewell and then struck for another four and a six by Avishka Fernando.

A smart review from Santner cut short Fernando's innings on 17, but that dismissal united Perera with Asalanka, who had implored his middle order to do better after the two losses. Asalanka led the charge himself, hitting Zakary Foulkes for a six and a four straight down the ground in a 17-run over. Perera then heaved Glenn Phillips for a six over cow corner before completing his half-century off just 27 balls.

The southpaws continued to take down spin, 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 Perera took only 14 deliveries to go from 50 to 100. He became only the third Sri Lankan to hit a T20I ton 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.

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. However, the middle overs against spin was going to be decisive given Sri Lanka's success against it earlier in the afternoon. Asalanka brought himself on to bowl the ninth over against two left-handers and was duly lofted for a six by Mark Chapman.

Asalanka then put the visitors firmly on top in his third when he cleaned up Ravindra for a 39-ball 69. However, 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.

Brief Scores:

• Sri Lanka: 218/5 (Kusal Perera 101, Charith Asalanka 46; Daryl Mitchell 1-6)
• New Zealand: 211/7 (Rachin Ravindra 69; Charith Asalanka 3-50, Wanindu Hasaranga 2-38)
• Result: Sri Lanka won by 7 runs.