Sri Lanka vs New Zealand, 1st T20I Highlights: Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by 4 wickets

Zakary Foulkes to Kusal Perera, WIDE! Slower one from around the wicket, spilled well down leg for a wide.

Zakary Foulkes has been introduced into the attack.

Michael Bracewell to Pathum Nissanka, SIX! BANG! Too short around off, turning back in as well, Pathum Nissanka hangs deep and then backs away before swatting it wide of long on for a biggie.

Michael Bracewell to Pathum Nissanka, A prolonged appeal from the bowler but no reaction from the umpire. Mitchell Santner has a word with the bowler but decides against the review. Quicker one, on a length and around off, Pathum Nissanka looks to reverse sweep but the ball seems to have lobbed up off the body and towards silly point. The keeper, Mitchell Hay scampers towards it and dives in to take a fine grab but it won't count.

Michael Bracewell to Kusal Perera, Pushed through flatter on the pads, worked away around the corner for a single.

Michael Bracewell to Kusal Perera, This one is floated up again but pushed wide of the off stump, Perera reaches out and lifts it over the cover region for a couple of more runs.

Michael Bracewell to Kusal Perera, FOUR! Perera playing his shots here. Floated up full and angling into the legs, Perera plays it late and sweeps it well behind square leg for another boundary.

Michael Bracewell to Kusal Perera, Starts from around the wicket to the left-hander and attacks the stumps, Perera watchfully blocks it off.

Mitchell Santner to Pathum Nissanka, Big turn there! On a dragged length, angled in from outside off, this one pitches and turns away square with some extra bounce, leaving Nissanka perplexed.

Mitchell Santner to Kusal Perera, Short again on middle and leg, pulled away from the crease and well in front of square for just a single.

Mitchell Santner to Kusal Perera, FOUR! That's poor bowling from Santner! Quicker one, angled down the leg side, Kusal Perera has enough time to rock back and pull it away into the fine leg fence for another boundary. Sri Lanka really starting to fire now.

Mitchell Santner to Kusal Perera, Drags this one down and angles it into the bodyline, Kusal Perera swivels and pulls it away past square leg for a couple of runs. And with that, he becomes the leading run scorer for Sri Lanka in T20Is, surpassing Tilakaratne Dilshan.

Mitchell Santner to Kusal Perera, SIX! Kusal Perera gets a big chunk of that one alright! Tossed up on the stumps, Perera steps out a bit and slogs it high and just over the fielder stationed at deep mid-wicket for a biggie.

Mitchell Santner to Kusal Perera, Nagging length on middle, drifting back in, Kusal Perera plays all over it and gets hit high on the pads.

Jacob Duffy to Pathum Nissanka, FOUR! Nicely played! Back of a length and around off, this one shoots off the deck but Nissanka controls it really well and just pinches it over backward point for a boundary. 12 off the over!

Jacob Duffy to Kusal Perera, Just back of a length around middle and leg, nudged away in front of mid-wicket for a single.

Jacob Duffy to Kusal Perera, Half a shout for caught behind but there's nothing on it. Slower bumper over leg, Kusal Perera looks to get inside the line and pull but is well beaten.

Jacob Duffy to Pathum Nissanka, Hits the deck hard and bowls it around middle, Nissanka swings it away through mid-wicket for a single now.

Jacob Duffy to Pathum Nissanka, FOUR! Real aggression coming in from Pathum Nissanka now and he gets away with it. Full and outside off, Nissanka steps out and backs away before throwing his hands at it. The ball gets sliced up and over the fielder at short third and trickles away into the fence.

Jacob Duffy to Pathum Nissanka, Gets enough on that one! Pitched up around middle, angling in, Pathum Nissanka clears the front leg and uses the bottom hand to force it over wide mid on and picks up a couple of runs.

Mitchell Santner to Kusal Perera, Slightly slower and fuller, on off, Kusal Perera gets his bat out in front and knocks it to mid-wicket.

Kusal Perera is the next batter in.

Mitchell Santner to Kusal Mendis, OUT! PLUMB IN FRONT! Mitchell Santner strikes and gives New Zealand a much-needed early breakthrough! Santner stays around the wicket and drags the length back a bit but keeps the stumps into play, Kusal Mendis gets down for the sweep but fails to make any contact with the ball. The ball goes on to hit him on the back thigh and the umpire has no hesitation in raising the finger. Mendis has a quiet word with his partner and decides to keep walking. Sri Lanka are now 3/1 after 1.5 overs, needing 133 runs from 109 balls.

Mitchell Santner to Kusal Mendis, Speared in from around the wicket, on the fuller side, on middle and leg, Mendis lunges to defend it with a straight bat. Gets beaten on the inside edge and gets rapped on the front pad. Half a shout for LBW but that was going down leg.

Mitchell Santner to Kusal Mendis, Not in control but Mendis gets away with it! Fired in by Santner, on a nagging length, outside off, Kusal Mendis sees the width on offer and tries to cash in. Throws his hands at the delivery but a bit of extra bounce results in the ball catching the outer half of the bat and it goes on the bounce to backward point.

Mitchell Santner to Pathum Nissanka, Floated up and the length is pulled back a bit, on middle, Pathum Nissanka gets down and drags the sweep to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Mitchell Santner to Pathum Nissanka, Darts it in from around the wicket, very full, at the toes, Pathum Nissanka makes room and squeezes it out back to the bowler.

Mitchell Santner brings himself on from the other end.

Jacob Duffy to Kusal Mendis, Duffy pitches it up, on off, Kusal Mendis presents the full face of the bat and eases the drive to mid off. A tidy start from Duffy!

Jacob Duffy to Kusal Mendis, Duffy takes pace off and bowls it at 123 kph, on the fuller side, on off, Mendis looks to play it down the ground but fails to pick the change of pace. Goes through the shot early and gets it off the inner half of the bat to mid-wicket.

Jacob Duffy to Kusal Mendis, WIDE! Tries to angle the ball back into the right-hander but gets the line wrong. Sprays it way down leg. Kusal Mendis lets it go.

Jacob Duffy to Pathum Nissanka, Pathum Nissanka and Sri Lanka are underway! On a back of a length, on off, Pathum Nissanka gets on top of the bounce and punches it square of the wicket to deep point for a single.

Jacob Duffy to Pathum Nissanka, Uppish but it falls just short! In the channel on off, on a good length, Pathum Nissanka extends his hands and drives it on the up. Ends up hitting it much straighter and it goes on the bounce to Mitchell Santner at mid off.

Jacob Duffy to Pathum Nissanka, Honing in at the stumps with an upright seam, on a good length, Pathum Nissanka opts to play it off the back foot and gets his bat down to keep it out.

Jacob Duffy to Pathum Nissanka, Duffy charges in from over the wicket and hits the deck hard, on a back of a length, on off, Pathum Nissanka gets on top of the bounce and punches it confidently to cover-point.

Welcome back for the chase. Mitchell Santner and Co. are in a huddle near the ropes before making their way out to the centre. It will be Pathum Nissanka ​​​and Kusal Mendis to open the innings for Sri Lanka. New Zealand are starting with pace in the form of Jacob Duffy. Let's play...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

Right then, Sri Lanka would have gladly accepted a target of 136 after losing the toss, but with the significant turn and the pitch playing on the slower side, this chase might not be as straightforward as it seems. The Powerplay will be crucial for both sides and given the spin options they have in their ranks, New Zealand can certainly make a match out of this. It is set up for an interesting chase. Back in a bit for Sri Lanka's reply.

Wanindu Hasaranga is in for a chat. He says that they have world-class spinners and after losing the toss, it didn't matter as everyone bowled really well. Adds that the wicket looks a bit slow and they tried to bowl at the stumps more and at their normal rhythm. Reckons that varying the pace is key on this pitch and ends by saying that they need the Powerplay to go well and is confident that they will get it done.

New Zealand kept losing wickets at regular intervals and could never really get out of the first gear. Will Young, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell and Mitchell Santner got starts but neither of them really looked assured out in the middle. Just when it looked all doom and gloom for the visitors at 96/8, Zakary Foulkes came to the side's rescue and stitched a handy partnership with Ish Sodhi. They were even helped by some ordinary bowling by Matheesha Pathirana who conceded 20 runs in the 17th over. The 39-run stand between Foulkes and Sodhi turned out to be the best partnership of the inning, giving them a defendable total.

Well, Sri Lanka eventually complete the cleanup job but they will be a bit disappointed to have let New Zealand get to 135! Other than Charith Asalanka's couple of overs and that 20-run over from Matheesha Pathirana, it was a good effort from the hosts. Earlier, after opting to bat first, the start did look promising for the tourists when they racked up 12 runs off the first over but their troubles began as soon as the Sri Lanka bowlers started hitting their straps. 

Edged and gone! Or is it? Sri Lanka are pretty confident and they have taken the review. The UltraEdge does show a spike when the ball is next to the bat and that will be the end of New Zealand's innings.

Dunith Wellalage to Jacob Duffy, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Dunith Wellalage with the double whammy to close out the innings. Loops this one up and just drags the length back a touch. This is bowled around off and turns away quite a fair bit as well. Jacob Duffy looks to step out and get to the pitch of the ball but is beaten for turn and the keeper, Kusal Mendis goes up in appeal for the catch. He is confident and the review is taken. UltraEdge shows a nick off the bat and it will be OUT. New Zealand are bundled out for 135 runs in 19.3 overs.

Jacob Duffy is the last man in.

Dunith Wellalage to Ish Sodhi, OUT! CAUGHT! Top catch from the Lankan skipper! Dunith Wellalage tosses this one up full and on off, Ish Sodhi opts to step out and lifts it towards wide long off without much timing. Charith Asalanka runs to his left and dives across to take it with both hands and finally, the stand between Sodhi and Foulkes is broken but they have done the damage.

Dunith Wellalage to Ish Sodhi, Bowls it flat and into the deck around off, Ish Sodhi backs away and lifts the ball over the infield on the off side and picks up a couple of runs.

Who will bowl the final over? It will be Dunith Wellalage (3-0-18-1).

Maheesh Theekshana to Ish Sodhi, Dug in short and well wide, Ish Sodhi reaches out and taps it well behind point for another run.

Maheesh Theekshana to Zakary Foulkes, This is bowled full and on off, Foulkes sets up for the heave but ends up just hitting it down to long on for a single.

Maheesh Theekshana to Zakary Foulkes, Good running! Shorter again, sliding onto middle, Foulkes presses back and flicks it away through the gap in front of square leg for two runs more.