Getty Sri Lanka and New Zealand will finish out their three-ODI set.
After a pair of ODIs at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, the Black Caps and Sri Lanka will play their third and final ODI at Saxton Oval in Nelson.
In the United States, the match is scheduled to start Monday at 5 p.m. ET. While it won’t be broadcast nationally on television anywhere in the US, you can still watch a live stream of the game on your computer, phone or streaming device via ESPN+, the new digital streaming service from ESPN that has exclusive coverage to dozens of sporting events every week.
You can sign up for a free seven-day trial of ESPN+ right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the game on your computer via ESPN.com, or on your phone (Android and iPhone compatible), tablet, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or other streaming device via the ESPN app.
If you can’t watch live, all games — including New Zealand vs Sri Lanka — that are streamed on ESPN+ are also available to be watched afterwards on-demand via ESPN.com or the ESPN app.
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 3rd ODI Preview
The teams played their second ODI on Saturday. Sri Lankan all-rounder Thisara Perera came up with his team struggling at 128-7 after 27 overs and almost mounted a late comeback all by himself. He went for a ridiculous 140 from 74 balls.
But the impressive display — and the match — ended with Trent Boult’s diving catch. Perera struck eight fours and 13 sixes as his side fell 319-298.
“I am very proud of myself as this is my first century,” Perera said after the defeat, according to CricBuzz. “I have been batting at number eight and nine for the last eight years. But thanks to the coaching staff who gave me a chance at number seven. Frankly, I was not thinking anything. I had to take the responsibility throughout the innings. I asked the tail to play out a few balls. I am working hard on my batting. I was trying for a victory rather than avenging the five sixes.”
The victory gave the Black Caps an unassailable 2-0 lead in the squads’ three-ODI set.
“Probably, 85 percent of the game was clinical from us,” Black Caps captain Kane Williamson said, per CricBuzz. “Then, Thisara came out and played out of his skin. The wind factor and few fumbles went against us. But feels nice that we held out nerves and came out with a win. Thisara played outstandingly well and kept putting us under pressure. It is about guys going out there and performing a role for us. The beauty of today versus the last game was that this wicket was gripping a bit and hence was not a 360 or 370 wicket. Jimmy [Neesham] has been outstanding. His knocks have been vital in both the games.”
Williamson committed one of at least five drops on catchable balls for New Zealand, an uncharacteristic struggle for a typically sterling fielding side.
“We all had a go [at dropping catches]. It was frustrating,” Williamson said, according to The New Zealand Herald. “If we did hold our catches, we would have walked off and addressed the whole fielding and bowling effort a lot differently.
“It wasn’t to be, and off the back of that, Thisara played absolutely outstandingly well and kept putting us under pressure.
“We do pride ourselves on our fielding and it’s something we need to move on quickly from here, go to Nelson and just keep that intensity we had in the field for the first 20 overs or so.”
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