Sri Lanka won the toss and sent the Blackcaps to bat first at Nelson. Malinga sent back both the openers in the third and fifth over providing Sri Lanka a good start. First Martin Guptill was caught by Mendis at gully and Collin Munro was clean bowled for 21 runs.

 

Then Ross Taylor joins Kane Williamson for 3^rd wicket and they scored 116 runs from 130 balls putting up a partnership needed by New Zealand at that time and for the batsmen coming after. Two-century partnership in the middle overs helped New Zealand to overcome the early blows in the 3^rd ODI against Sri Lanka at Nelson. Ross Taylor made a brilliant 137 from 131 balls, his 20^th ton in ODI’s, which included nine 4’s and four 6’s and continued his sublime form.

Kane Williamson made 55 of 65 balls at a strike rate of 84.61 which included six 4’s and a six, an effortless knock at Nelson. Sri Lanka failed to pick up wickets in the middle overs and New Zealand continues making all the opportunities came their way, scored 130 runs in the final over and ended with 364/4 after the 50^th over.

Henry Nicholls joined Ross Taylor in the 27^th over after the fall of Kane Williamson, and New Zealand didn’t look back from there onwards. Henry Nicholls went on to make 124 off 80, hitting 12 fours and 3 sixes, added 154 of 120 with Ross Taylor for the fourth wicket. Sri Lanka tried everything to stop the duo however couldn’t find any breakthrough until 47^th over when Ross Taylor caught at the deep square leg of an attempted pull of Lasith Malinga, after hitting four sixes of him.

Sri Lanka bowlers couldn’t live up to the expectations as they couldn’t capitalize on the two early wickets they got in the start. Malinga and Pradeep went on to give 170 runs off 114 balls. Dushmantha Chameera also couldn’t leave up the expectations as couldn’t find much movement from the pitch in the middle overs.

Sri Lanka started well as the first half, Dhananjaya de Silva opening alongside Dickwella slamming 66 of first eight overs before de Silva was trapped lbw by Tim Southee. From a strong position, Sri Lanka slipped from 107/1 in 15^th over to 143/5 in the 23^rd over and couldn’t recover from there onwards and eventually bundled out for 249 in the 42^nd over. Thisara Perera and Gunathilaka added 101 runs in the sixth wicket to reduce the losing margin for Sri Lanka.

For New Zealand Lockie Ferguson and Ish Sodhi was the pick of the bowlers, 4/40 and 3/40 respectively.