New Zealand Defeats Sri Lanka in ODI

In the first ODI against Sri Lanka at Wellington's Basin Reserve, New Zealand's Matt Henry excelled with the ball, taking four wickets and helping dismiss the tourists for just 178 runs. Sri Lanka struggled significantly, collapsing to 23/4 within the first 10 overs after being asked to bat. Opener Avishka Fernando was the top scorer for Sri Lanka with 56 runs, but he received little support as the middle and lower order faltered. New Zealand's response was dominated by Will Young, who scored an unbeaten 90, leading his team to a comfortable nine-wicket victory in just 26.2 overs. This match marks a strong start for New Zealand in the three-match series, following their recent success in a T20 series against Sri Lanka. Notably, wicketkeeper-batsman Tom Latham was absent due to soreness.