Kusal Perera rode his luck to shatter multiple records by cracking a career-best 101 off just 46 balls as Sri Lanka secured a consolation seven-run victory in the third and final Twenty20 match against New Zealand in Nelson on Thursday. The left-hander hit the fastest T20I century by a Sri Lankan off just 44 balls and also broke Kusal Mendis’ record for most 50-plus scores in T20Is by a Sri Lankan. This was Perera’s 16th 50-plus score in the shortest format. It was mainly due to his blitz with the bat that Sri Lanka posted 218-5 in their 20 overs. Hosts New Zealand, needing to pull off their highest-ever run chase to complete a clean sweep, ended up with 211-7.
New Zealand had already wrapped up the series after winning the first two games by eight and 45 runs, respectively, when the Sri Lankan middle order failed to fire. But Perera was determined to show there was fight in the visitors as he plundered four sixes and 13 fours in a blistering display of strokeplay.
He was helped by being dropped on 15 and 60 before he was caught at point by Rachin Ravindra off Daryl Mitchell in the penultimate over. He was also shaken by the first ball he faced from Zak Foulkes, which was edged towards third man.
Perera featured in partnerships of 41 with Avishka Fernando (17) and then 100 with Asalanka, who hammered 46 off just 24 deliveries with five sixes and one four.
Sri Lanka, opening the batting for the first time in the series, had 24 on the board inside three overs before Pathum Nissanka went for 14 after an exceptional catch by Mitchell Hay.
New Zealand maintained the required 11-an-over run rate through 15 overs led by 69 off 39 balls from Ravindra.
Tim Robinson added 37 off 21 and Daryl Mitchell smacked 35 off 17 including four sixes in the final over by Asalanka.
Asalanka, a part-time bowler, had 3-25 off his first three overs and finished with 3-50.
