Published: Mar 13, 2023, 01:26 PM (IST)
Edited: Mar 13, 2023, 01:26 PM (IST)
New Delhi: Tim Southee-led New Zealand defeated Dimuth Karunaratne’s Sri Lanka in a final over thriller at the Hagley Oval to gain a 1-0 lead in the two-match test series. The victory has thrown Sri Lanka out of the race for the World Test Championship’s final. Team India and Australia have now secured the final two spots.
Christchurch witnessed one of the most thrilling red-ball clashes ever. Sri Lanka batting first put in a good first innings total of 355 runs. NZ did look a little shaky but Daryl Mitchell’s astonishing ton and Matt Henry’s fifty helped them gain a significant lead over the visitors.
A thriller in Christchurch. #NZvSL pic.twitter.com/7hv2j4bEjJ
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 13, 2023
However, veteran Lankan batter Angelo Mathews rise up to the situation and smashed a much-needed century, which once again put SL in the boxing seat. NZ was then struck by rain which took away 37 overs from them and now they had to chase 257 runs of 53 overs in order to win this test.
What a match ? pic.twitter.com/BgTTfL23bt
— aK™ (@NotThatAnil) March 13, 2023
The fabulous Kane Williamson alongside on-song batter Daryl Mitchell took New Zealand over the line. Mitchell smashed quickfire 81 runs and Williamson completed his 27th test ton. The match was nothing less than a thrilling movie with a nail-biting climax.
On the final ball of the match NZ needed 1 run off 1 ball and Asitha Fernando bowled a short delivery, Williamson missed it and still ran for the run. The keeper missed the shot at the striker’s end. The thrill wasn’t over yet as Fernando received the ball and threw at the non-striker’s end and hit the stumps, Kane Williamson being aware of the fact took a dive and being aware of the throw took dive.
Now it was up to the third umpire to clear who was faster among the both and as the replay played on the big screen, Kane Williamson had managed to beat the ball by an inch or two. Sri Lanka lost the match by 2 wickets and India qualified for the finals of the World Test Championship.
