New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 2nd ODI Match Commentary: Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand, 2024-25

2.50pm  Right then, that is it from this rain-curtailed game where New Zealand sealed the series with one game to spare. The third and final ODI between these two sides is scheduled for January 11, Saturday. It will begin at 1 am GMT, but as you know, you can join us early for all the build-up to the match. Until then, cheers and goodbye!

2.48pm  Mitchell Santner, the victorious skipper of New Zealand starts by saying that they can't complain about how things are going for the team at the moment. Adds that the seamers did their job. Although the total was decent, they were eyeing the 280 mark at the start. Mentions that the seamers hit the hard length and made it hard for the batters. Further adds that it usually swings under lights as well and the bowlers did a decent job extracting the bounce, bashing the hard length time and again, and making life difficult for the Sri Lankan batters.

2.48pm  Charith Asalanka, the captain of Sri Lanka says this was a par score at this ground. Mentions that a poor batting performance in the Powerplay has cost them. Reckons that they did well in T20Is but have not played up to the mark in the ODI series.

2.48pm  Rachin Ravindra is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his excellent knock of 79 off 63 balls. He says that he enjoys batting in the ODI format. It suits the way he bats. Adds that it was a nice wicket out there. Chapman helped him out there through the middle phases. Mentions that they wanted to chase. Ends by saying that the wicket was a bit sticky to start but Matt Henry and the other bowlers did their job, extracting enough bounce.

2.45pm  Presentation Time...

2.45pm  Kamindu Mendis put up a lone fight, crafting a gritty 64 off 66 balls, but found little support from the other end. He and Chamindu Wickramasinghe showed signs of a recovery, but a costly mix-up resulted in Chamindu’s run-out, shifting the momentum completely. From there, it was all one-way traffic as Mitchell Santner and William O'Rourke tore through the lower order. The effort included two stunning catches from Daryl Mitchell and Nathan Smith, a welcome sight after earlier drops in the game. In the end, it hardly mattered as New Zealand wrapped up the match with a dominant 113-run victory.

2.44pm  Earlier in the game, New Zealand posted a competitive total in this shortened contest, powered by a 112-run stand between Rachin Ravindra and Mark Chapman, both scoring fifties. Contributions from Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, and Mitchell Santner added depth, but the innings lost steam in the death overs, thanks to Sri Lanka’s disciplined bowling. Maheesh Theekshana stole the show with a stunning ODI hat-trick, finishing with four wickets, while Wanindu Hasaranga, Asitha Fernando, and Eshan Malinga chipped in to restrict the Kiwis.

2.42pm  The Kiwi pacers hit their stride right from the second ball, after an errant five wides from Matt Henry off the first delivery. Jacob Duffy set the tone with two early breakthroughs, while Henry added another to pile on the pressure. Although Will Young dropped Avishka Fernando early, it didn’t prove costly. Mitchell Santner added to the chaos with a brilliant run-out of his opposite number. The hosts maintained control throughout, keeping Sri Lanka under constant pressure. After the opening bowlers’ fiery spells, Nathan Smith stepped up to break the promising partnership by dismissing Janith Liyanage.

2.41pm  Sri Lanka had a disastrous start to their chase, mirroring their struggles in the first ODI. Both openers failed to make an impact, and Kusal Mendis departed cheaply as well. Adding to their woes, Charith Asalanka was run out in a bizarre manner, leaving them reeling at 22/4 inside the Powerplay. However, Janith Liyanage and Kamindu Mendis showed resilience, stabilizing the innings with a 57-run partnership before Liyanage's dismissal left Kamindu with a monumental task ahead.

2.36pm  NEW ZEALAND TAKES AN UNASSELLAIBLE 2-0 LEAD IN THE SERIES! A complete performance from the home side and Mitchell Santner ticks off his first ODI series win as a full-time limited-overs skipper. For Sri Lanka, it was yet another disappointing show, and now they will play for pride in the last game.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Pitched-up on off, Maheesh Theekshana goes for the lofted drive, the bat tilts in his hands but he still gets enough to lob it over Daryl Mitchell at cover. Daryl Mitchell had other ideas and he times his jump to perfection and grabs it with both hands and his feet in the air. New Zealand wins this one by 113 runs and seals the series with a lead of 2-0 and one game to spare.
Maheesh Theekshana c D Mitchell b W O'Rourke 6 (20b 1x4 0x6)