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New Zealand snatched a dramatic one-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in their opening Champions Trophy Group A match in Cardiff on Sunday after Lasith Malinga had threatened to turn the match on its head. The pacer captured four wickets for 34 runs, but failed to stop the Kiwis from attaining the modest victory target of 139.
Mitchell McClenaghan (four for 43) was the man responsible for dimissing the Sri Lankans cheaply.
Here’s a look at some statistical highlights from the match.
# Nathan McCullum (32 off 42 balls) posted his highest score in ODIs in England. With 2-23, he deservingly got his first Man of the Match award in ODIs.
# Five LBWs in an innings (New Zealand) and six in the match is a record in the ICC Champions Trophy.
# Lasith Malinga (4-34) registered his best bowling performance in the ICC Champions Trophy, surpassing the four for 53 vs South Africa at Ahmedabad on October 24, 2006.
# Kyle Mills (2-14) registered his best bowling figures in ODIs in England, taking his wickets' tally to 24 at 18.08 runs apiece in 13 games, extending his record for the highest wicket-aggregate by a New Zealand bowler in the ICC Champions Trophy.
# New Zealand have won two games out of four contested against Sri Lanka in the ICC Champions Trophy. They defeated Sri Lanka by 38 runs at Johannesburg on September 27, 2009.
# New Zealand improved their success percentage (63.15) in the ICC Champions Trophy -- won 12 and lost seven out of 19 played.
# New Zealand recorded the first instance of a win by one wicket in the ICC Champions Trophy.
# Overall, New Zealand have won seven matches by a one-wicket margin in ODIs. Against Sri Lanka, they won by one wicket for the second time - their first was at Queenstown on December 31, 2006.
# After beating Sri Lanka by 38 runs at Johannesburg on September 27, 2009, New Zealand won their first match against Sri Lanka in ODIs.
# Sri Lanka (138) posted their second lowest total in the ICC Champions Trophy. They registered 132 vs South Africa at Dhaka on October 30, 1998.
# Kusal Perera is the third player after Sanath Jayasuriya and Shane Watson to get out off the first ball of a match in the ICC Champions Trophy. Perera registered his first duck in ODIs.
# Mahela Jayawardene's performance is below average in 2013 in ODIs - 52 runs (ave 13.00) in five innings. He completed his 1000 runs against New Zealand in ODIs, totaling 1001 at an average of 32.29 in 39 matches.
# Kumar Sangakkara (68 off 87 balls) is the first Sri Lankan batsman to record 75 fifties in ODIs. The said innings is his fourth half-century in the ICC Champions Trophy.
# Sangakkara, in the course of his above knock, completed 1000 runs against New Zealand in ODIs, aggregating 1058 at an average of 34.12 in 36 matches.
# Mitchell McClenaghan (four for 43) recorded his third instance of four wickets in an innings. The said performance is the best by a New Zealander against Sri Lanka in the ICC Champions Trophy.
# Ross Taylor registered his first duck in the ICC Champions Trophy. His fourth duck against Sri Lanka is his seventh in ODIs.
# Brendon McCullum (18 off 49 balls) registered a strike ate of 36.73 - his worst in an innings in ODIs (minimum 15 runs).
Image: Mitchell McClenaghan celebrates after bowling Dilshan Tilakarathne during the Group A ICC Champions Trophy match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Cardiff, Wales.
Photograph: Michael Steele/Getty Images