The home side led by skipper Suzie Bates clinched the ODI series (2-0) in a dominant fashion, after the first game of the series was washed out due to rain. The caravan now moves onto the three-match T20I series, from 14th March 2025 (Friday). White Ferns continued to suffer injury setbacks as Isabella Gaze, Hayley Jensen, and Bella James are ruled out of the T20I series and are replaced by Bree Illing, Polly Inglis, and Flora Devonshire in the White Ferns T20I set-up for the ongoing white-ball series against Sri Lanka.
There were as many as six debutants, namely Bree Illing, Emma McLeod, Izzy Sharp, and Polly Inglis from New Zealand and Malki Madara and Manudi Nanayakkara from Sri Lanka set to take centerstage and get a taste of the T20I format at the international level.
Debutant Malki Madara, spinners shine to wrap up New Zealand for 101
White Ferns lost the wicket of Georgia Plimmer in the 2nd over of the innings after skipper Suzie Bates won the toss and opted to bat first in the first T20I at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch. Inoshi Priyadharshani Fernando provided the first breakthrough for Sri Lanka. Emma McLeod joined Suzie Bates at the crease and the duo led a much-needed recovery with a crucial 32-run partnership for the 2nd wicket.
The 24-year-old youngster Malki Madara got the big scalp of the opposition skipper Suzie Bates (21 off 14 balls) in the 5th over of the innings to register her maiden T20I wicket. After the departure of their skipper, the home side kept losing wickets at regular intervals and, despite another crucial 21-run partnership for the 6th wicket between Jess Kerr (10 off 14 balls) and debutant Emma McLeod (44 off 46 balls), their innings folded for 101, with seven balls to spare.
The 24-year-old pacer Malki Madara (3.5-0-14-3) was the standout performer with the ball alongside Kavisha Dilhari (4-0-18-2), for Sri Lanka, while Sugandika Kumari (4-0-18-1), and Inoshi Priyadharshani Fernando (3-0-25-2) played their part with the ball for their side.
Chamari Athapaththu’s unbeaten fifty powers Sri Lanka over the line
Chasing a target of 102, Sri Lankan openers Vishmi Gunaratne and skipper Chamari Athapaththu got their side off to a flying start with a 46-run opening partnership, scoring at just under 8 runs an over. Jess Kerr broke the stand by removing Vishmi Gunaratne to provide the first breakthrough for her side in the 7th over of the innings.
The home side lost a couple of wickets in quick succession, before the pair of Nilakshika Silva (12* off 9 balls) and skipper Chamari Athapaththu guided the visitors over the line with an unbeaten 36-run partnership for the 4th wicket. Skipper Chamari Athapaththu completed her 13th T20I half-century (64* off 48 balls) to guide her side over the line in the chase. Kavisha Dilhari (12 off 10 balls) was the only other batter to enter the double digits with the bat for Sri Lanka.
Jess Kerr (4-0-18-2) was the only wicket-taker for New Zealand, while Eden Carson (4-0-25-0) was impressive with the ball for her side.
Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu was awarded the Player of the Match for her sensational match-winning contributions. She returned with match figures of 3-0-10-1, picking up the wicket of the wicket-keeper batter Polly Inglis and also guided her side over the line with an unbeaten half-century (64* off 48 balls) with the bat.
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