A tale of two all-rounders defined New Zealand’s 61-run demolition of Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8s at Colombo. Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra orchestrated a performance that extinguished Sri Lanka’s flickering hopes, confirming their ouster after back-to-back losses.
Batting first, NZ lost early wickets but rallied. Allen-Seifert’s 30-run opening stand gave way to Phillips-Ravindra’s 41. Ravindra’s 32 set the tone. From 84 for 6, Santner’s captain’s knock of 47 fused with McConchie’s 31* for a match-turning 84-run surge to 168 for 7. Lanka’s bowlers: Theekshana 3-?, Chameera 3-?, Wellalage 1.
Sri Lanka unraveled chasing: first-ball Nissanka wicket, Asalanka soon after. Mendis (31, 4x4s) and others flailed amid collapses, all out 107 for 8. Ravindra (4/27) dominated, Player of the Match; Henry 2, Santner 1.
Standings update: England semis-bound, NZ 3 pts (2nd), Pak 1 pt (3rd). NZ vs Eng Feb 27 critical; SL vs Pak Feb 28 irrelevant.
This masterclass highlights NZ’s adaptability—from batting recovery to bowling stranglehold—positioning them strongly for the knockouts.