HAMILTON: Sri Lanka missed out on direct qualification for the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 after New Zealand defeated them in the third and final ODI by six wickets on Friday. 

Electing to bat first, Sri Lankan batting lineup struggled against the Kiwis’ pace attack as Matt Henry (3/14), Henry Shipley (3/32) and Daryl Mitchell (3/32) jointly led the charge and bundled out New Zealand for a paltry 157.

Pathum Nissanka (57 off 64), Dasun Shanaka (31 off 36) and Chamika Karunaratne (24 off 42) were the only batters to show some resistance as Sri Lanka failed to fire in yet again.

In reply, New Zealand underwent a shaky start as they lost three wickets inside the first seven overs. Four of their batters – Chad Bowes, Tom Blundell, Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham – failed to cross single-digit.

However, Will Young and Henry Nicholls anchored the chase afterwards and took the hosts over the line. The pair gathered a valiant 100-run partnership with Young and Nicholls remaining unbeaten on 86 and 44 respectively to steer New Zealand to 2-0 series win.

With the defeat, Sri Lanka have failed to snatch the direct qualification spot from the West Indies. Sri Lanka end their Cricket World Cup Super League Campaign on 81 points, seven behind West Indies.

Sri Lanka will now travel to Zimbabwe in June to compete in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier to secure a place in the mega event scheduled later this year in India.

West Indies, however, could still lose the direct qualification race to South Africa (78 points) or Ireland (68). South Africa will take on the Netherlands in two home ODIs, while Ireland have a three-game ODI series against Bangladesh in May.

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