Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by seven runs in the third T20I of the three-match series, at the Saxton Oval in Nelson. Sri Lanka posted 218-5 after Mitchell Santner won the toss and opted to field. Perera did the bulk of the scoring, smashing a 46-ball 101 with 13 fours and four sixes from No.3. Captain Charith Asalanka also made a 24-ball 46.
In response, Tim Robinson (37 in 21 balls), Rachin Ravindra (69 in 39), and Daryl Mitchell (35 in 17) kept the hosts in the hunt, but they ran out of steam after losing three wickets for two runs in eight balls. They finished on 211-7.
Perera became the first Sri Lankan man to hit a T20I hundred since Tillakaratne Dilshan’s 57-ball 104 not out against Australia in 2011. Mahela Jayawardene (100 in 64 against Zimbabwe in 2010) is the only other name on the national list. In the interim period, Chamari Athapaththu hit three T20I hundreds – 113 in 2019, 102 and 119 not out in 2024.
Perera also became the 25th man (and 28th cricketer) to hit hundreds in all three international formats. The list includes both Jayawardene and Dilshan.