MaunganuiHalf-centuries from Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson, followed by three-wicket hauls from Trent Boult and Matt Henry, helped New Zealand on Thursday to overcome firm Sri Lankan resistance to win the first Twenty20 match in Mount Maunganui by three runs.
Dinesh Chandimal, who was leading Sri Lanka in the absence of Lasith Malinga opted to field first on winning the toss.
Guptill (58) signalled his intention early as he struck three sixes and three boundaries in the first three overs to take New Zealand to 40 for naught.
Williamson (53) hit his first six in the fourth over off Shehan Jayasuriya (0-28) as the pair brought the 50-run opening stand in 25 deliveries which is second fastest for New Zealand.
The New Zealand captain struck back to back boundaries to end the powerplay at 62 for naught. Guptill looked at his aggressive best as he raced to his fifty off 31 deliveries with a six and a four.
However, just when they reached the 100-run stand, Guptill departed with a direct hit from Chamara Kapugedara which got him short of the crease at the strikers end.
Sri Lankan spinners did well to pull things a bit as the next four overs went for just 22 runs. However, Colin Munro broke the shackles with a six followed by a boundary in the 15th over to take New Zealand to 131 for one.
Williamson departed soon after reaching his fifty after caught at deep mid-wicket off Nuwan Kulasekara (2-26) while Jeffrey Vandersay (1-30) had Corey Anderson (2) caught at long off. Sri Lanka were 135 for three in 16.1 overs at that stage.
However, Ross Taylor (22 not out) played a nine-ball cameo to take New Zealand to 179 for nine in their 20 overs with the final five overs yielding 51 runs.
Kulasekara was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers with two wickets while Vandersay snared the wicket of Anderson.
Needing nine runs per over in the chase, Sri Lanka were pegged early losing four wickets in the first five overs.
Boult (3-21) dismissed Tillakaratne Dilshan (0) and Jayasuriya (4) while his new-ball partner, Henry (3-44) accounted for the key wickets of Chandimal (7) and Angelo Mathews (4).
Milinda Siriwardana (42) struck a boundary and a six to take Sri Lanka to 56 for four at the end of the first six overs.
After a 42-run stand for the fifth wicket, Danushka Gunathilaka (46) was deceived by Ish Sodhi (1-33) and was caught at backward point.
With 97 needed in the final 10 overs, things looked gloomy for Sri Lanka but Thisara Perera (28) and Siriwardana had other plans as they pressed the accelerator during their 49-run stand.
Henry returned back in the 15th over and conceded 15 runs but picked the key wicket of Perera to bring New Zealand back in the game. Sri Lanka needed 45 from 30 deliveries at that stage.
Boult picked the prized wicket of Siriwardana in the 17th over, with Sri Lanka needing 30 runs from the final three overs.
Kulasekara (14) kept Sri Lanka in the hunt and brought the target down to 13 runs in the final over, which was bowled by Grant Elliott (1-18).
After conceding three runs in the first two deliveries, Elliott dismissed Kulasekara in the third delivery and the very next delivery Kapugedara (17) was run out looking for a nonexistent second run.
With nine needed off the final two deliveries, Sri Lanka managed only five runs as New Zealand took an unassailable lead of 1-0 in the series with the three-run victory.
Henry and Boult picked three wickets apiece for New Zealand. Boult was awarded the man of the match.
The second T20I is scheduled to be played in Auckland on 10th January.
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