Sri Lanka's national cricket team bounced back from two heavy losses to defeat the New Zealand national cricket team in the third ODI in Auckland. They were led by stellar performances from Asitha Fernando, Eshan Malinga, and Maheesh Theekshana, who each claimed three wickets. Pathum Nissanka, who retired hurt but returned to score 66 off 42 balls, was the top-scorer for Sri Lanka. New Zealand suffered an early collapse, with five of their top six batsmen dismissed for two runs or less, ultimately succumbing to a 140-run defeat.
Sri Lanka Stuns New Zealand in Thrilling ODI Triumph
After suffering two consecutive defeats, the Sri Lankan national cricket team staged a remarkable comeback to secure a convincing 140-run victory over New Zealand in the third ODI in Auckland.
Match Highlights
Sri Lanka's bowlers, led by Asitha Fernando, Eshan Malinga, and Maheesh Theekshana, played a pivotal role in the victory. Fernando and Malinga each took three wickets, while Theekshana claimed three crucial wickets in the middle overs.
Pathum Nissanka, despite retiring hurt, played a valiant innings of 66 runs off just 42 balls, leading Sri Lanka's batting charge. Dhananjaya de Silva and Chamika Karunaratne also contributed valuable runs.
New Zealand, in contrast, struggled with the bat from the outset. Five of their top six batsmen were dismissed for two runs or less, leaving them reeling at 11 for 5. Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham attempted to salvage the innings, but their efforts proved insufficient.
Background
The ODI series between Sri Lanka and New Zealand is part of Sri Lanka's tour of New Zealand in 2023. The series is currently tied at 1-1, with the fourth and final ODI scheduled to take place on February 12th.
The previous two ODIs saw New Zealand dominate, with the Black Caps winning by 118 runs in the first ODI and by 65 runs in the second ODI. Sri Lanka's victory in the third ODI has breathed new life into the series.
Top 5 FAQs
1. Who was the top performer for Sri Lanka? Asitha Fernando, Eshan Malinga, and Maheesh Theekshana each took three wickets.
2. What was Pathum Nissanka's contribution? Despite retiring hurt, Nissanka returned to score 66 runs off 42 balls, leading Sri Lanka's batting charge.
3. How did New Zealand's top order perform? Five of New Zealand's top six batsmen were dismissed for two runs or less.
4. What is the current score in the ODI series? The ODI series is currently tied at 1-1.
5. When is the fourth and final ODI scheduled? The fourth and final ODI is scheduled to take place on February 12th.
Despite being touted as a dangerous player in T20Is, Pakistan's Saim Ayub has registered back-to-back golden ducks in the Asia Cup, adding to his previous failure in the series opener. With India's Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah dismissing Ayub and Mohammad Haris, there is concern among the selectors and team management about the duo's strike rate. India, meanwhile, will look to capitalize on the early breakouts and secure a win.
In a thrilling match between Pakistan and UAE, Fakhar Zaman's 50 runs from 36 balls and Shaheen Afridi's unbeaten 29 runs from 14 balls helped Pakistan achieve a total of 146/9. But UAE's Junaid Siddique and Simranjeet Singh put up a tough fight with impressive bowling performances, taking 3 wickets each. In the end, it was a tight race as UAE needed to score 147 runs in 120 balls to win and make it to the Super 4s. However, Shaheen Afridi's four consecutive hits in the final over secured Pakistan's victory.
The PCB has released a statement confirming that match referee Andy Pycroft has apologised for his actions during the Asia Cup match between India and Pakistan. According to the PCB, Pycroft cited miscommunication as the reason for prohibiting handshakes between the two teams, a decision which caused a delay in the match and sparked controversy. The ICC has also stated that they will investigate the incident after receiving a complaint from the PCB.
Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana has once again reclaimed the top spot in the ICC ODI rankings, as confirmed by ESPNCricinfo. The 29-year-old batter hit a half-century and a century in the recently concluded series against Australia, solidifying her position at the top. This is Mandhana's fourth time becoming the No. 1 ODI batter, previously achieving the feat in January 2019 and July 2021. With the Women's ODI World Cup starting on September 30, Mandhana's return to the top spot is great news for India. The team will look to improve upon their runner-up finish in the 2017 edition, and Mandhana's form will be crucial in achieving that.
In the second ODI against Australia, Smriti Mandhana stole the show with her impressive batting performance, scoring a century in just 77 balls. With this, she became the second-fastest Indian to score a ton in ODIs, and the first Asian cricketer to reach 15 international tons. However, India suffered a major blow as star batter Jemimah Rodrigues was ruled out of the series due to illness. Her absence will be greatly felt in the upcoming Women's ODI World Cup, where India has a good chance to win their first ICC event.
Arsenal secured a solid victory against Athletic Bilbao in the opening game of the Champions League 2025/26 season, thanks to second-half substitutes Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard. Gunners manager Mikel Arteta praised the impact of his finishers, emphasizing their importance this season. Despite a dominant start from the Spanish side, the strong defensive performance from Arsenal's four Spaniards, including former Real Sociedad players Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi, secured the win for the English side.
French forward Kylian Mbappe put on a show for Real Madrid as he scored two goals to secure a 2-1 victory against Marseille in their Champions League opener. Despite Madrid going down to 10 men and Marseille taking an early lead, Mbappe's goals proved to be the difference for the Spanish giants. The game was not without controversy as both teams had penalty calls, but Mbappe's successful conversion secured the win for Madrid, who are looking to make a strong comeback in the Champions League after seeing their rival PSG win it last season.
Indian cricketer Prithvi Shaw showed his softer side by sharing an endearing message for social media influencer and actress Akriti Agarwal. The duo recently celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi together, giving fans a glimpse of their camaraderie. Despite facing a setback in the 2025 IPL auction, Shaw is determined to make a strong comeback with his new team and has been working hard to improve his batting skills, according to Maharashtra's chief selector Akshay Darekar.
With a chance to continue their winning streak, Manchester United head to the Etihad for a heated derby match against Manchester City. Despite City's recent struggles, United should not underestimate their rivals as both teams are vying for dominance in the Premier League. However, with last season's win at the Etihad and a confident Ruben Amorim at the helm, United are poised to secure another victory. Meanwhile, the speculation surrounding the future of Manchester United's manager continues, with names like Zinedine Zidane and Sean Dyche being thrown into the mix.
In a thrilling match at the Johan Cruyff Stadium, Spanish champions Barcelona put on a masterclass performance against Valencia. The highlight of the game was Marcus Rashford's top-notch assist for Barcelona's second goal, showing his potential as a loanee from Manchester United. With Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski also scoring and the use of VAR, it was a night to remember for Barcelona's fans.