Twenty/20

2010 T20 World Cup: Group B – New Zealand beat Sri Lanka

Nathan McCullum thumped a six over long on from the penultimate ball of the match to see New Zealand home to a two-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the opening game of the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 in Guyana.
After Sri Lanka made 135 for six, New Zealand required 20 from the final two overs and got there thanks to McCullum’s unbeaeten 16 in six balls.

Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat and made a steady start, with Mahela Jayawardene scoring quickly. However, Tillakaratne Dilshan struggled and battled with his lack of form, faced 19 balls and was dismissed for three. Kumar Sangakkara was dismissed by Scott Styris for just four from 11 balls and that brought debutant Dinesh Chandimal, 20, to the crease in the pressurised situation of 45 for two.
Chandimal announced himself with a huge six over long off Styris on to get his score rolling while the experienced Jayawardene made his half-century from just 31 balls, including four fours and two immense sixes. Jayawardene continued to hold the Sri Lankan innings together until the 18th over, when he was dismissed for 81 from 51 balls.

In reply, Brendon McCullum was caught by Lasith Malinga off Angelo Mathews for a duck but New Zealand rallied, Jesse Ryder thumping 42 in 27 balls and Martin Guptill playing some excellent strokes before he was bowled by Sanath Jayasuriya for 19. Styris and Daniel Vettori both made 17 but Sri Lanka began to work themselves into a position of ascendency, Ajantha Mendis bowling Styris and Vettori being run out. They badly needed some big hitting and it was first provided by Jacob Oram, who hit two sixes in as many balls before being bowled by Chanaka Welagedara for 15 in six balls. The stage was thus set for McCullum, who after seeing Gareth Hopkins (1) run out, hit what was arguably the shot of the match to win it for New Zealand.