On February 25, New Zealand beat Sri Lanka in their Super 8 match at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. The Kiwis secured a 61-run victory, which led to Sri Lanka’s elimination from the T20 World Cup 2026 tournament.
This match highlighted New Zealand’s strong performance, confirming Sri Lanka’s exit from the competition.
Needing a win after their loss to England, Sri Lanka chose to bowl first. New Zealand responded aggressively, with Finn Allen starting the batting attack. Sri Lanka struggled as the Kiwis scored nearly ten runs per over in the first three overs, gaining an edge during the powerplay.
Desperate for a breakthrough, Dasun Shanaka brought in Maheesh Theekshana, who quickly dismissed Allen. Dushmantha Chameera followed up by taking out Tim Seifert in the next over, leaving New Zealand at 44 for 2 by the end of the powerplay.
Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra steadied the innings, scoring boundaries and rotating the strike effectively. Sri Lanka picked up their next wicket with Chameera removing Phillips with a fast delivery, while Dushan Hemantha allowed some runs. At the mid-match point, New Zealand had scored 75 runs with 3 wickets gone.
Santner-McConchie Partnership Boosts New Zealand:
New Zealand’s middle-order batsmen faced challenges against the Sri Lankan spinners. Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage bowled tightly, causing a rapid loss of three wickets and reducing the Kiwis to 84 for 6.
With less than eight overs remaining, Mitchell Santner and Cole McConchie regrouped. They began cautiously but transitioned into a counterattack, forming a crucial 84-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Santner scored 47 off 26 balls, while McConchie remained not out at 31 off 23. Their efforts propelled New Zealand to a total of 168 on a challenging pitch.
In their chase for 169 runs, Sri Lanka struggled from the start. Matt Henry took a wicket on the first ball, bowling Pathum Nissanka, and soon dismissed Charith Asalanka, leaving Sri Lanka under pressure during the powerplay. McConchie, Santner, and Lockie Ferguson combined to limit Sri Lanka’s scoring opportunities.
Kusal Mendis and Pavan Rathnayake battled to build their innings but couldn’t increase their scoring rate as New Zealand maintained firm control over the match on the deteriorating pitch.
Rachin Ravindra joined in, claiming four wickets and contributing to a middle-order collapse. Kamindu Mendis provided brief resistance before being dismissed by Santner. New Zealand clinched a comfortable win, keeping their hopes alive for a spot in the semi-finals.
