Crucial wickets to Jacob Duffy and a rollicking cameo with the bat by Mitchell Hay saw New Zealand beat Sri Lanka to wrap up their T20I series with a game to spare at Mount Maunganui on Monday.

New Zealand made 186-5 in their 20 overs, with Man of the Match Hay cracking an unbeaten 41 from 19 deliveries.

Sri Lanka in reply were all out for 141 with Duffy taking 4-15, including the tourists’ top scorers Kusal Perera for 48 and Pathum Nissanka for 37.

“I said at the start whoever could use the wind the best would do pretty well, and we were able to do that with the bat,” New Zealand captain Mitchell Santer said, while also praising Duffy’s bowling. “Every time I bring him back he gets a pole.

“The best way to slow a run rate down is to take wickets and that’s what we were able to do in the middle.”

The 45-run victory, following their eight-run win on Saturday put New Zealand 2-0 up in the three-match series.

“I’m really disappointed with the results,” Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka said, adding his side needed to adapt more quickly to New Zealand pitches.

“They’re more bouncy than at home, that’s the main thing, and we have to adjust to that. At the same time they [New Zealand] were brilliant.”

Sri Lanka started their run race cautiously with eight off the first two overs before Nissanka launched into New Zealand’s strike bowler Matt Henry, taking 16 off his next over.

But, no sooner had Sri Lanka started to fire, Santner came into the attack into the fifth over and removed Kusal Mendis for 10 with his first delivery.

Nissanka and Perera had lifted the score to 71 by the 10th over when Duffy, who turned the first game in New Zealand’s favour, again made a crucial breakthrough.

A slower delivery to Nissanka was scooped to Henry at fine leg and the Sri Lankan talisman was gone for 37.

When Perera was bowled at the start of the 16th over it was the beginning of the end for Sri Lanka as their last seven wickets fell for just 14 runs.

New Zealand, who again lost the toss and were told to bat first, produced a steady performance until Hay opened up with three overs remaining.

In the final 18 deliveries New Zealand scored 43 runs, 35 of them coming from Hay as he atoned for his first-ball duck in game one.

After New Zealand lost Rachin Ravindra for just one, Tim Robinson and Mark Chapman put on 69 for the second wicket.

But in the 10th over, after belting the first ball from Wanindu Hasaranga over the midwicket fence, Robinson misread the next delivery and was bowled for 41.

Another “wrong ‘un” from Hasaranga undid Chapman, who was stumped for 42 off 29 deliveries.

Hasaranga returned the best figures for Sri Lanka with 2-28.

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A late bowling fightback sparked by Jacob Duffy produced a remarkable eight-run victory for New Zealand against Sri Lanka in Mount Maunganui on Saturday.

Sri Lanka, with openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis in sparkling form, were cruising towards the 173-run target when they reached 95-0 at the halfway stage.

But in the 14th over, with Sri Lanka 121-0, Duffy changed the game with three wickets in four balls, all caught behind by Mitchell Hay, beginning with the dismissal of Mendis for 46 off 36 deliveries.

Nissanka went on to make 90 off 60, which included seven fours and three sixes for his highest T20I score, while no other Sri Lankan reached double figures.

“We should have done better,” was the succinct summary from Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka who was out for three and also dropped a catch. “Pathum and Kusal batted well, the rest including me should take responsibility for this loss.”

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said Duffy changed the game with his 3-21 after the home side reached 172-8 in their 20 overs with the innings propped up by a century stand by Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell.

The pair came together in the 10th over with New Zealand struggling at 65-5 and put on 105 before both were dismissed in the final over.

Mitchell was stumped for 62 off 42 deliveries while Bracewell was caught behind for 59 off 33.

“It was a massive partnership for us, the way they went about it, they soaked it up for a bit then put the pressure back on to put up a pretty good score,” Santner said.

Binura Fernando, who removed both New Zealand openers in his second over, finished with 2-22.

Tim Robinson was caught and bowled for 11 when he drove a short-pitched delivery straight back to the bowler.

Three balls later Rachin Ravindra, on eight, nicked an outswinger and was caught behind.

Mark Chapman, dropped on four, reached 15 before he was caught on the boundary by Kamindu Mendis off the bowling of Matheesha Pathirana.

Glenn Phillips had made eight off nine deliveries when he was trapped in front and Mitchell Hay went first ball when he played and missed at a delivery drifting into the pads.

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Photo: Phil Walter/Getty Images