Sri Lanka have clinched victory in their three-match one-day series against New Zealand with a three-wicket victory in a rain-shortened match at Pallekele.
Invited to bat first, the Black Caps again failed to see out their 47 overs, dismissed for 209 in the penultimate over.
The tourists struggled with their run rate throughout, barely reaching five an over at any stage, but suffered a double blow, when topscorer Mark Chapman and Michael Bracewell both fell in the same over — both caught by Avishka Fernando from the bowling of Asitha Fernando — leaving their team reeling at 173/6.
Chapman scored 76 runs in 81 balls, including seven fours and three sixes, while wicketkeeper Mitch Hay held the lower order together with 49 off 62, before he became the last to fall. Maheesh Theekshana was the best of the Sri Lankan bowlers, taking 3/31.
"It is always a challenge when you are defending a low score," reflected NZ captain Mitch Santner. "Credit goes to them."
The home side also lost wickets early, but were anchored by Kusal Mendis — a centurion in the opening match of the series — who arrived at the crease at 23/1 and was still there when Theekshana hit the winning runs off Nathan Smith with six balls to spare. Bracewell took 4/36 off his 10 overs.
"That partnership at the end took it away, but we also left a few runs out there," said Santner. "Good performance with the ball to squeeze them and take wickets.
"We got a lot of spin in and were surprised it spun that much in the night. If we put up a few more runs and got to 240, it might have been a different story."
The result sees Sri Lanka winning their fifth ODI series of the year, a decade after they last achieved that feat.
The third and final match is scheduled for Tuesday (NZT), also at Pallekele.
New Zealand 209 (Chapman 76, Hay 49, Young 26; Theekshana 3/31) Sri Lanka 210/7 (Mendis 74no, Nissanka 28, Theekshana 27no; Bracewell 4/36)
Sri Lanka win by three wickets, lead series 2-0
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