New Zealand bundled out Sri Lanka on 171 runs in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The pace trio of New Zealand was breathing fire as they scalped seven wickets. Kusal Perera was the only batsman who counter-attacked the Kiwi bowlers as he hammered 51 runs off just 28 deliveries. Teamwork with the ball. Wickets for Boult (3), Ravindra (2), Santner (2), Ferguson (2) and Southee (1). Time to bat in Bengaluru! Follow play LIVE in NZ with @skysportnz. LIVE scoring | https://t.co/aNkBrDiAuv #CWC23 pic.twitter.com/LWlX9ERHzC— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) November 9, 2023Kusal Perera hammers fiftyEarlier, New Zealands skipper Kane Williamson won the toss and invited Sri Lanka to bat first in the 41st game of the tournament. Proving the skippers call right, New Zealand pacers dismissed half of the Lankans batters inside the first powerplay. Four top-order batters from the Sri Lankan side failed to reach in double-digit score as they were dismissed cheaply. However, the aggregate Kusal Perera played crucial innings in order to counterattack the pacers, while helping Sri Lanka to post 74 runs in the first powerplay despite losing five wickets. Perera was dismissed against the run of play after scoring the brisk fifty including nine boundaries and two maximuns. KUSAL PERERA, WHAT A KNOCK.- He smashed the fastest fifty in World Cup 2023, it came from just 22 balls. pic.twitter.com/HOpflqP1qe— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 9, 2023Sri Lankas veteran allrounders Angelo Mathews and Dhananjaya de Silva also failed to fire as both batters handed their wickets to Mitchell Santner. However, Maheesh Theekshana played a handy knock alongside Dilshan Madushanka at the back end of the innings. The pair added 43 runs for the last wicket. Boult breathes fireTrent Boult was the pick of the bowlers of New Zealand who claimed three wickets hauls, while Mitchell Santner,Rachin Ravindra and Lockie Ferguson claimed two wickets each. Tim Southee claimed one wicket. Trent Boult became the first New Zealander to take 50 @cricketworldcup wickets when he dismissed Sri Lankas Kusal Mendis in Bengaluru. Tim Southee has the next most with 38*. Follow play LIVE in NZ with @skysportnz. LIVE scoring | https://t.co/aNkBrDiAuv #CWC23 #StatChat pic.twitter.com/ys7G7YIp1e— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) November 9, 2023
