JOIN USOpener Tillkaratne Dilshan hammered an unbeaten 102 off 95 balls with 12 fours and a six as Sri Lanka scored a seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the third one-dayer here on Tuesday.
Chasing a revised 197 to win in 33 overs under Duckworth-Lewis method, Sri Lanka found the going tough in the initial stages, losing Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara and skipper Mahela Jayawardene for just 73 on the board in 14.5 overs. But Dilshan found an able ally in Angelo Mathews as the duo rattled 127 runs in little over 17 overs to steer Lanka home.
Mathews remained not out on 54 (47b, 7x4). With this, Lanka have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the five-match series. The hosts had won the second one-dayer by 14 runs on Sunday.
Earlier, Bradley-John Watling cracked a career-best 96 not out to help New Zealand post a competitive 188 for 6. The opener, who scored 55 in the last match, smashed 12 fours in his 88-ball knock in the day-night match reduced to 33-overs-a-side due to rain. He put on 71 for the unbroken seventh-wicket stand with Nathan McCullum (22 not out).
James Franklin was the other main scorer with a 25-ball 26. New Zealand lost an early wicket after being put in to bat as opener Rob Nicol (seven) was caught by Jayawardene off Malinga.