New Zealand clinch thriller by two wickets (beat Sri Lanka in the Opening game of T-20 WC)

Guyana, Apr 30: A cameo by Nathan McCullum helped his side to overcome Sri Lanka’s challenge by two wickets in the opening encounter of the World Twenty-20 here on Friday.
The right-hander batsman finished the match with a six while chasing the target of 136.
Another 15-run cameo by Jacob Oram ignited the hope of New Zealand's comeback which was perfectly executed by McCullum at the end.
Earlier, a gutsy effort by Mahela Jayawardene helped his side set a defendable score.
The seasoned batsman from the island nation adjusted well with the slowness of the wicket and hit eight fours and two sixes in his innings of 81 off 51 after Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and decided to set a target for the opposition.
Debutant Dinesh Chandimal too contributed with 29 off 23 and shared an invaluable 58-run partnership for the third wicket with the former skipper who took their innings to 135.
In reply, slow-bowlers almost did the trick for the Lankans by sharing 4 wickets between them.
Jesse Ryder (42 off 27) was the highest run getter for the Kiwis while the other batsmen fixed in the spin tangle of their opponents.
Earlier, Shane Bond picked up two wickets in the last over of the innings for the Black Caps while Nathan McCullum, Jacob Oram, Scott Styris and Tim Southee chipped in with a wicket each.
New Zealand got the worst possible start after Brendon McCullum was caught at mid-wicket by Lasith Malinga off Angela Mathews, who bowled a maiden first over. The right-handed batsman could not open his account.
Ryder, who was making a comeback after a long injury lay-off, timed the ball well from the beginning. He hit a 91-meter six off Mathews in the third over.
Martin Guptil welcomed Malinga with a straight six after being let-off in the previous over by Dilshan in the covers off Ajantha Mendis.
Both the batsmen maintained the run-rate needed in their 62-run stand for the second wicket. Ryder was bowled by Muttiah Muralitharan after hitting him for a six earlier in the over.
Guptil was surprised by the quicker delivery of Sanath Jayasuriya and bowled after scoring 19 off 24.
He was followed by Ross Taylor (9 off 15), who was holed out by Mathews at deep mid-wicket off Muralitharan.
Styris (17 off 21) tried hard to take his side home but was bowled by Mendis in the 17th over.
Welegedara hold his nerve to knock out Oram in the penultimate over but the Man-of-the-match effort by McCullum was enough to seal the victory for the Black Caps.