T20 World Cup: New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by 61 runs

New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by 61 runs in the T20 World Cup with a brilliant performance. Batting first, New Zealand scored 168 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs. Finn Allen (23), Rachin Ravindra (32), and Glenn Phillips (18) scored good scores in the beginning, while captain Mitchell Santner gave a strong end to the innings with 47 runs in 26 balls. Cole McConaughey remained unbeaten on 31 runs. Mahesh Teekshan and Dushmantha Chameera took three wickets each among the Sri Lankan bowlers.

Chasing a target of 168 runs, Sri Lanka suffered a shock at the beginning. Pathum Nissanka was out on the first ball. Sri Lanka were in trouble as Kusal Mendis (11), Charith Asalanka (5) and Pawan Ratnayake (10) were dismissed early. Kamindu Mendis fought back with 31 runs, but the rest of the batsmen could not contribute much. Eventually, Sri Lanka were restricted to 107 for 8 in 20 overs.

New Zealand bowling was dominated by Rachin Ravindra who took 4 wickets. Matt Henry took 2 wickets, while Mitchell Santner and Glenn Phillips took a wicket each. Sri Lanka's ability to score only 20 runs in the powerplay was a key turning point in the match. This huge defeat also dealt a severe blow to them in terms of net run rate.

Sri Lanka exited the tournament with this defeat. This is another disappointment for Sri Lanka, who have not qualified for the semi-finals of any ICC mega tournament since 2015. The team's failure to reach the semi-finals from the 2015 ODI World Cup to the 2026 T20 World Cup is a cause for concern.