New Zealand pip Sri Lanka in World T20 with Nathan McCullum heroics

New Zealand secured a dramatic last-over victory against Sri Lanka in the opening match of the Twenty20 World Cup in Guyana. A large crowd at the Providence Stadium saw Nathan McCullum, matching his brother Brendon's propensity for the big shot, win the Group B game by hitting the Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith Malinga for six over long-off. New Zealand needed 20 off the last two overs, chasing Sri Lanka's 135 for six which included an outstanding 81 from Mahela Jayawardene. Jesse Ryder's 42 off 27 balls got New Zealand off to a decent start but some intelligent bowling and smart fielding from Sri Lanka on a slow track kept things tight until, with three runs needed from the last two balls, McCullum struck the winning blow to finish on 16 not out just as it looked as if New Zealand's chances might ebb away after the needless run-out of their captain Daniel Vettori (17) from the previous ball. Earlier Jayawardene made the most of his debut as an opening batsman. The former captain was moved up the order to replace Sanath Jayasuriya and the move paid off as he hit 81 in 51 balls to drive Sri Lanka, last year's runners-up, to a total of 135. The Sri Lanka captain, Kumar Sangakkara, won the toss and chose to bat and Jayawardene, opening with Tillekeratne Dilshan, cut loose for the first time in the second over, hitting the first boundary with a six over square-leg from Shane Bond. The out-of-sorts Dilshan went in the sixth over, bowled by Jacob Oram for three off 19 balls with the score at 35 for one, and Scott Styris bowled Sangakkara for four as Sri Lanka reached 44 for two in the ninth over. Dinesh Chandimal and Jayawardene then put on 59 for the third wicket as Jayawardene reached 50 in 33 balls in the 13th over before Chandimal was caught on the boundary by a jumping Ross Taylor off McCullum. Jayawardene was next to go, caught at deep midwicket in the penultimate over by McCullum off Tim Southee, with Chamara Kapugedara (11) and Angelo Mathews (three) bringing the total to 135 before Mathews went off the last ball of the innings.