<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">Kusal Mendis struck a rapid half-century as Sri Lanka posted 182-6 in the third and deciding T20 against New Zealand in Queenstown on Saturday.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wicketkeeper-opener Mendis raced to 73 off 48 balls to set the Black Caps an imposing chase to win the series -- locked at 1-1 -- in the final match of what has been a difficult tour.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 28-year-old took full advantage after being dropped by Daryl Mitchell at slip when on 10.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He went on to hit six fours and five sixes in his 12th half-century, falling just short of his career-high score of 79.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Having been asked to bat, Mendis was the dominant figure in an opening stand of 76 with Pathum Nissanka (25 off 25), before putting on a further 46 with Kusal Perera (33 off 21).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wickets fell rapidly over the closing overs, preventing the tourists from going close to 200.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ben Lister took 2-37 while fellow-seamer Adam Milne and legspinner Ish Sodhi were the most economical of New Zealand's bowlers, recording identical figures of 1-30 off four overs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Matt Henry replaced Henry Shipley in their only change from the nine-wicket win at Dunedin in game two on Wednesday while Sri Lanka also made a solitary change to their seam attack, with Lahiru Kumara in for Dilshan Madushanka.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The match is the last of Sri Lanka's tour, in which New Zealand won the Test and ODI series by the same 2-0 scoreline. AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>