...

Physical Address

304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124

Twitter Reactions: Kusal Perera’s brilliant ton seals Sri Lanka’s win in thrilling T20I final against New Zealand



In a riveting conclusion to the T20I series at Saxton Oval, Nelson, Sri Lanka emerged victorious against new zealand by a narrow margin of seven runs. After losing the toss and being put into bat, the Sri Lankan team showed their batting prowess, with Kusal Perera leading the charge with a spectacular century. This match, held on January 2, 2025, was not only a contest of skill, but also a testament to the resilience and determination of both sides.

Sri Lanka’s explosive innings

Sri Lanka took advantage of a pitch that offered good batting conditions. The innings started with a few hiccups as they lost the first wickets incl Pathum Nissanka i Where in Mendi. However, Perera’s explosive performance turned the tide in Sri Lanka. He scored an astonishing 101 runs off just 46 deliveries, hitting 13 fours and 4 sixes, which propelled Sri Lanka to a formidable total of 218/5 in their allotted 20 overs.

Kusal Perera breaks a historic century

Perera’s remarkable performance took Sri Lanka to a competitive total but also etched his name into the record books. Notching his maiden T20I century, Perera became the third Sri Lankan to reach the milestone in T20 internationals, joining the ranks of legends such as Tillakaratne Dilshan i Mahela Jayawardene.

Perera’s century was historic for several reasons. First, he scored the first T20I century for Sri Lanka in over 14 years, showing a major achievement for both himself and the team. He reached his hundred in just 44 balls, becoming the fastest T20I century by a Sri Lankan batsman. This performance not only reaffirmed his status as one of Sri Lanka’s leading batsmen, but also highlighted his ability to perform under pressure, especially after his team had lost two early wickets. Perera was also named Player of the Match.

READ also: Twitter Reactions: Mitchell Hay, Jacob Duffy fire New Zealand to series win over Sri Lanka in 2nd T20I

The New Zealand Chase: A Roller Coaster

Pursuing a goal of 219 racesNew Zealand started their innings with promise but quickly found themselves under pressure as wickets fell at regular intervals. Tim Robinson provided a solid start with 37 runs but it was Rachin Ravindra who emerged as the backbone of the chase with his impressive knock of 69 off 39 balls. His innings featured five boundaries and four sixes, keeping New Zealand in contention as they raced towards the target.

However, the chase faltered as wickets continued to fall. Daryl Mitchell he tried to revive the innings with an explosive cameo that included four consecutive sixes in one over Charith Asalankascoring 35 runs off just 17 balls. Despite these efforts, New Zealand fell short of the target, finishing a 211/7 after his 20 overs.

While Perera’s batting was instrumental to Sri Lanka’s total, it was Asalanka’s bowling performance that played a crucial role in sealing the win. He claimed three key wickets for 50 runs in his four overs, dismantling New Zealand’s middle order and putting them on the back foot during their chase. His ability to take wickets at critical moments shifted the momentum towards Sri Lanka when it was most needed. The match concluded with Sri Lanka’s victory 7 racesmarking a thrilling end to the T20I series where they salvaged pride after losing the first two matches.

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

READ also: Twitter Reactions: Pathum Nissanka’s stellar knock goes in vain as Sri Lanka fall short against New Zealand in 1st T20I





Source link

Seraphinite AcceleratorOptimized by Seraphinite Accelerator
Turns on site high speed to be attractive for people and search engines.