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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 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.
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.
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.
Kusal Janith Perera created history! 🤩
KJP makes history with a dazzling maiden T20I hundred! An experienced star taking to the big stage.🔥
❤️✨🇱🇰 pic.twitter.com/l0khcFjchm— ᴅᴀʀsʜᴀ ᴄʜᴀᴍɪᴋᴀ (@Im_Darsha) January 2, 2025
KUSAL PERERA LEFT THE FIRST HUNDRED IN INTERNATIONAL CRICKET IN 2025. 🔥
– Kusal Perera played a magiferet innings of 101 off 46 balls, incl
Well played, Kusal Perera! His excellent batting effort has helped Sri Lanka avoid a whitewash. Congratulations!#NZvSL pic.twitter.com/dtdG0OY54k
— Akaran.A (@Akaran_1) January 2, 2025
#Srilanka 🇱🇰 : 218/5 (20 eggs)#New Zealand 🇳🇿 : 211/7 (20 eggs)
Sri Lanka won by 7 runs, New Zealand won the 3-match series 2-1
Man of the Match: Kusal Janith Perera (Sri Lanka)
Player of the Series: Jacob Duffy (New Zealand)
3Q20I #NZvSL 🏏🏆️ pic.twitter.com/wDpnChlo1v— Ishara (@Ishara23032) January 2, 2025
What an exciting match. Sri Lanka beat New Zealand with emphatic 7-run win. Kusal Perera stole the show with a pure master class of 101 off just 46 balls.#SLvsNZ #CricketTwitter
#KusalPerera– Mohamad Adnan Nazir (@ADN266) January 2, 2025
Sri Lanka take the win in the final of the KFC T20I. Rachin Ravindra (69), Tim Robinson (37) and Daryl Mitchell (35) contribute to a close run for Nelson. Catch up on all the scores | https://t.co/UzJ3jpZKSC 📲 #NZvSL #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/6Qj7PyCUpb
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 2, 2025
The first men’s T20I century of 2025 👏
Kusal Perera brings up his maiden hundred in the format off just 44 balls pic.twitter.com/sgWfwftyLx
– Jaleel Ahmed (@JaleelA83574057) January 2, 2025
Kusal Janith Perera 🇱🇰 has won 8 ‘Player of the Match’ awards
– Highest by any Sri Lankan player in T20I history. 👏 #NZvSL pic.twitter.com/lLwB3VTRpn
— Thurunu Jayasiri (@ThurunuJ) January 2, 2025
Kusal Perera scored the first century of 2025.
I hope Rohit and Virat will be the 2nd and 3rd to do it 😉 pic.twitter.com/GgSXQwWiQd— Dinda Academy (@academy_dinda) January 2, 2025
Sri Lanka defeated New Zealand by 7 runs in 3rd T20I 👊🏏#Cricket #NZvSL #SriLankaCricket pic.twitter.com/ttMsjVKikc
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) January 2, 2025
Kusal Perera scored his maiden T20 century at the beautiful Saxton Oval cricket ground against New Zealand. ❤️ #NZvSL #SLvsNZ #KusalPerera pic.twitter.com/Aic495vZxB
— U$äMä (@usama_mewati948) January 2, 2025