Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka said his team will need to bounce back after New Zealand defeated them by 113 runs in a rain-affected second one-day international in Hamilton to win the three-match series.
Spinner Maheesh Theekshana (4-44) had claimed a hat-trick to restrict the home side to 255-9 in 37 overs, but Sri Lanka could only manage 142 on board before getting bowled out at Seddon Park.
"It was a small ground and it was a fair pitch. I think bad batting in the powerplay cost us the game," Asalanka said after the game.
"We are trying to find a way to get things right in ODIs. We should have done better with overcast conditions and expected to pick few wickets in the powerplay, but we couldn't do that. The comeback is the key, and we have to get out of this situation," he said.
Batting first, New Zealand lost Will Young (16) early, but Rachin Ravindra (79) and Mark Chapman (62) built a 112-run second-wicket partnership to help steady their ship.
Daryl Mitchell also scored a run-a-ball 38 as the Black Caps reached 247-5 before Theekshana's impressive bowling display.
The off-spinner dismissed New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner and Nathan Smith in his seventh over before returning to get the wicket of Matt Henry in the first ball of his eighth to restrict the hosts.
"Credit to Theekshana, he knew what to do. He bowled wide and made us hit to the bigger side," Santner said.
However, Sri Lanka's poor start to the chase saw them slump to 22-4 before they were bundled out in the 31st over with Will O'Rourke (3-31) claiming the best figures with the ball for the hosts.
Series secured! An all round performance with the ball led by Will O'Rourke (3-31 from 6.2 overs) helps claim the Chemist Warehouse ODI series with a game to spare. Scorecard | https://t.co/Yebpn1QwRR #NZvSL #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/gvDUu2OxTb
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 8, 2025
Data Debrief: Theekshana's historic hat-trick
Theekshana became only the seventh Sri Lankan to take an ODI hat-trick.
Chaminda Vaas (two), Lasith Malinga (three), Farvez Maharoof, Thisara Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Shehan Madushanka have previously taken hat-tricks for Sri Lanka in one-dayers.
It was also the 50th hat-trick in men's ODIs and the first since Zimbabwe's Wesley Madhevere who achieved the feat against the Netherlands in 2023.
