Sri Lanka had laid their cards on the table before the tour of New Zealand, boldly declaring their ambition to translate their home-grown success into consistent overseas victories. The stage was set in Mount Maunganui for the first of a three-match T20 series, and with a solid platform in place, it seemed like the visitors would walk away with the spoils. Yet, they managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
This was a game Sri Lanka had no business losing. Their openers gave them a flying start, putting on 121 runs in just 13.3 overs. At that point, it appeared to be a stroll in the park. But what followed was nothing short of a train wreck. In a sensational collapse, Sri Lanka lost the plot and, with it, the game—falling short by eight runs.
Reckless batting has been Sri Lanka’s Achilles’ heel in recent years. Despite encouraging signs of overcoming this tendency, the same old ghosts came back to haunt them in the series opener, much to the dismay of fans enjoying the holiday-season cricket spectacle. The 14th over was nothing short of a horror show, with three wickets falling for zero runs, leaving the team in shambles. The shot selection was so baffling it could make coaches bury their faces in their hands. A cakewalk turned into a nightmare as the batters crumbled under pressure.
>>Sri Lanka left to rue missed opportunities
Head Coach Sanath Jayasuriya has often emphasized the importance of set batters finishing games. Yet, both Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis were guilty of throwing it away when it mattered most. Mendis, after getting his eye in, fell just four runs shy of a half-century, while Nissanka – cruising comfortably – missed the chance to become only the third Sri Lankan to notch a T20I hundred. Their dismissals against the run of play were akin to a well-built sandcastle washed away by an unexpected wave.
However, there was a silver lining. Nissanka’s approach was a breath of fresh air, batting with a strike rate of 150—an element that has been sorely missing in Sri Lanka’s top order. Ranked ninth in the ICC T20 batting rankings, Nissanka has publicly expressed his ambition to become the world’s top-ranked batter. The next 12 months could be his golden opportunity to chase that dream.
Yet, Sri Lanka’s woes weren’t confined to their batting. The bowling effort left much to be desired, especially at the death. After opting to bowl first, the visitors had the Kiwis on the ropes at 65 for five by the halfway mark. At that point, a target under 150 seemed more than achievable. But as has happened time and again, Sri Lanka’s bowlers let the tail wag – and wag hard.
The sixth-wicket partnership between Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell turned the game on its head, piling on a match-defining 105 runs in just 58 deliveries. A crucial moment came when Matheesha Pathirana dismissed Mitchell, only for the delivery to be called a no-ball. Mitchell survived and made Sri Lanka pay dearly.
Pathirana had a night to forget, leaking 60 runs in his four overs, including three no-balls and a wide. He’s a double-edged sword for Sri Lanka—lethal when on target but devastatingly erratic when things go south. It’s a dilemma the team needs to address, as such inconsistency can be a liability in crunch moments.
Despite the heartbreak, there were some bright sparks. The rest of the bowling unit was largely on the money, and the openers’ form augurs well for the road ahead. If Sri Lanka can tighten up their fielding and their batters can hold their nerve, this tour still has the potential to be a memorable one.
>>That one hour in Durban could prove costly for WTC final
It’s been a tough road for Sri Lanka in recent years, no doubt, but the team is slowly piecing together a formidable outfit in the shortest format of the game. Come 2026, when they co-host the T20 World Cup with India, they could very well be in the mix as serious title contenders. For now, however, they’ll need to lick their wounds, learn from their mistakes, and show the grit and steel that fans know they’re capable of.
This wasn’t just a missed opportunity – it was a sobering reminder that cricket is a cruel game where even the slightest lapse can cost you dearly.
