Martin Guptill's hot streak of form continued as his quickfire 63 set up a nine-wicket win for New Zealand in the second T20 international with Sri Lanka in Auckland, giving them a 2-0 series victory.
Guptill, who made 58 in the first match and plundered 331 runs in the recent One Day International series, was at it again, smashing five sixes and six fours in his 25-ball innings which helped the hosts knock off their target of 142 in just 10 overs.
Colin Munro also had some fun, ending on 50 not out off just 14 balls thanks to seven maximums, making it the fastest T20 half-century by a New Zealander and the second fastest of all-time.
The foundations of the victory were laid in the field as 4-22 from Grant Elliott helped restrict Sri Lanka to 142 for eight from their 20 overs.
That would have been far less had Angelo Mathews not hit a career-best 81 not out.
After being asked to bat first, the tourists lost Danushka Gunathilaka, Shehan Jayasuria and Dinesh Chandimal inside the first seven overs to leave them reeling on 39 for three.
That brought Mathews to the crease and it did not take him long to get going, hitting back-to-back sixes off his sixth and seventh balls.
But when Tillakaratne Dilshan departed for 28 off 26 balls, Sri Lanka collapsed further to 70 for six in the 12th over as Milinda Siriwardana (0) and Kithuruwan Vithanage (1) went cheaply.
And Mathews took that as a cue to step up a gear, taking 16 runs off a Trent Boult over before bringing his half-century up off 31 deliveries
The Test and One-Day captain cleared the ropes again in the 18th over and then hit three fours in the final over as he dragged the tourists up to a respectable target, ending unbeaten on 81 from 49 balls.
New Zealand's reply could not have started any better and they made a mockery of that target as they raced to 38 for no wicket off three overs, with the insatiable Guptill hitting three fours and a six.
Guptill was in a hurry and took 20 off spinner Jeffrey Vandersay's first over, hitting a six and three fours before striking another maximum in the next over to bring up his 50 off just 19 balls - the fastest ever T20 half-century for New Zealand.
The opener's fun ended when he was caught behind off the bowling of Thisara Perera for 63 off his 25th delivery, and Guptill's record did not last long as it quickly got smashed by Munro.
The left-hander picked up where Guptill left off, whacking five sixes in his first nine balls and he and Kane Williamson, who finished on 32 not out from 21 balls, saw their side home with their innings exactly halfway through.
Munro, fittingly ended with some fireworks, hitting a four and six off the last two balls of the 10th over to bring up his landmark half-century.
Source: PA
