The opening stand ensured Sri Lanka had the upper hand early on before Sophie Devine broke the stand.
Harshitha Samarawickrama and Hasini Perera also forged a valuable partnership after both the opening batters were back in the hut. Rotating the strike well and keeping the scoreboard ticking, the duo added 58 runs for the third wicket before New Zealand notched three dismissals in quick succession.
As the innings entered its final phase, it was Nilakshika Silva who took the charge with the bat. Walking in with just over 10 overs remaining, the 36-year-old played with intent in an innings composed of seven fours and a six.
She raced to a half-century off just 26 balls, changing the tempo of the innings, adding valuable runs in the death overs.
Sri Lanka’s haul from the final 10 overs saw them amass 80 runs, including 47 in the last five, thanks largely to Silva’s brilliance who struck seven boundaries and a six. However, the home team’s batting efforts were marred by persistent showers, forcing the two sides to share a point each.