Sri Lanka beats New Zealand by 140 runs in the 3rd ODI but New Zealand wins the series 2-1

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Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis plays during the 3rd one day international cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

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Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis, left, and Kamindu Mendis make a fist-bump during the 3rd one day international cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

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Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis plays during the 3rd one day international cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

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Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka is injured during the 3rd one day international cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

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Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka runs around New Zealand’s Will O’Rourke during the 3rd one day international cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

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Sri Lanka’s Asitha Fernando celebrates the wicket of New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips during the 3rd one day international cricket match at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

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New Zealand’s Mark Chapman plays during the 3rd one day international cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

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Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga takes a catch to dismiss New Zealand’s Tom Latham and celebrates with teammate Avishka Fernando during the 3rd one day international cricket match at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

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Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga takes a catch to dismiss New Zealand’s Tom Latham during the 3rd one day international cricket match at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

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New Zealand’s Mark Chapman celebrates his 50 during the 3rd one day international cricket match against Sri Lanka at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

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Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga takes a catch to dismiss New Zealand’s Tom Latham and celebrates with teammates during the 3rd one day international cricket match at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

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Fans and supporters cheer and wave flags during the 3rd one day international cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

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Sri Lanka’s Asitha Fernando celebrates the wicket of Rachin Ravindra during the 3rd one day international cricket match against New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

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Sri Lanka’s Asitha Fernando celebrates the wicket of Rachin Ravindra during the 3rd one day international cricket match against New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

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New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra is bowled by Sri Lanka’s Asitha Fernando during the 3rd one day international cricket match at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

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Sri Lanka players celebrate another wicket during the 3rd one day international cricket match against New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

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AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Asith Fernando and Maheesh Theekshana shared six wickets as Sri Lanka bowled out New Zealand for 150 runs in 29.4 overs to win the third one-day international by 140 runs Saturday.

Fernando took 3-26 and Theekshana 3-35 to jointly knock the top off the New Zealand innings as it chased 291 for victory. Eshan Fernando also contributed 3-35 as Sri Lanka completed a comprehensive victory.

New Zealand won the three-match series 2-1 in its last matches at home before the ICC Champions Trophy begins in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates next month.

Earlier, Pathum Nissanka made 66 in an innings of two parts as Sri Lanka compiled 290-8 after choosing to bat first. New Zealand then slumped to 21-5 inside seven overs as Fernando helped Sri Lanka unpick the New Zealand top order.

“It’s a huge confidence boost for me and for the team as well because we haven’t played well in the first two games. It’s a pleasure to play like this,” Fernando said.

“We identified a few areas to be improved (after the first two games). Now we are going straight back to work to continue improving day by day.”

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Mark Chapman was the only New Zealand batter to stand against the chaos, making 81 at a run a ball. Chapman’s 51-run partnership with Nathan Smith (17) for the eighth wicket was New Zealand’s hope of making a game of it. The run rate never got away from New Zealand but it lost too many wickets early to seriously challenge Sri Lanka’s total.

Nissanka reached 50 from 31 balls but almost immediately fell to the ground in pain from an apparent groin or hip strain.

He tried to bat on but was clearly impaired while running between wickets and was 50 not out when he was summoned from the field by Sri Lanka coach Sanith Jayasuriya to receive medical treatment.

Matt Henry took 4-55 for New Zealand.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket