New Zealand fight back to eliminate cohosts Sri Lanka from T20 World Cup | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup News
New Zealand Eliminates Sri Lanka in Super Eights with 61-Run Victory
New Zealand secured a decisive 61-run victory over Sri Lanka in the Super Eights stage of the Twenty20 World Cup, effectively eliminating the co-hosts from the tournament. The match took place on Wednesday at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
After a shaky start that saw New Zealand struggling at 84 runs for five wickets, captain Mitchell Santner delivered a pivotal performance, scoring 47 runs off 26 balls. His efforts propelled New Zealand to a total of 168 runs for seven wickets. Cole McConchie contributed significantly as well, remaining not out on 31.
In response, Sri Lanka faltered, managing only 107 runs for eight wickets. The team never regained composure following a top-order collapse, marking their second loss in the Super Eights.
New Zealand’s bowlers excelled, with Rachin Ravindra claiming four wickets for 27 runs and Matt Henry adding two for just three runs.
Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka expressed disappointment, stating, “It’s embarrassing to disappoint the home crowd. They’ve been very supportive. We wanted to restrict them to 130, but to be honest, they played really well, so we must give them credit.”
The match was crucial for Sri Lanka, who had lost their first Super Eight match against England. Electing to field first, they initially demonstrated urgency but could not sustain their momentum. After a promising start, New Zealand found themselves in trouble with the loss of openers Finn Allen and Tim Seifert in quick succession.
The Sri Lankan spinners managed to deliver, reducing New Zealand to 84-6, but Santner’s partnership with McConchie proved vital. Together, they mounted a rapid 84-run stand, contributing to a late surge of 70 runs in the final four overs.
Sri Lanka’s innings began poorly when Henry bowled Pathum Nissanka for a duck on the very first ball. Ravindra then further undermined Sri Lanka’s hopes, striking twice in a single over to leave them at 29-4 early in their chase. Despite some resistance from Kamindu Mendis and Dunith Wellalage, neither were able to turn the tide.
Santner remarked on the challenge of the pitch, stating, “It’s one of those wickets where, if you can get in and give yourself a bit of time, you can cash in. It was pretty tough to start out there, so to hit 160 was nice.”
With this win, Group 2 leaders England advance to the semifinals with four points from two matches, while New Zealand, who earlier had a washed-out match against Pakistan, now holds three points.
