Captain Mitchell Santner stood up when it mattered the most with the team in the doldrums at one stage of the game. The Kiwis were 84/6 at one stage but did really well through Mitchell Santner and McConchie to recover and get to 168/7 scoring 70 off the last 4 overs to turn the game on its head. Maheesh Theekshana and Dushmantha Chameera picked up 3 wickets each to derail the Kiwis. But New Zealand have recovered to get a competitive total on the board.
Sri Lanka strikes twice to keep New Zealand under check in powerplay
Put into bat first, Tim Seifert and Finn Allen came out to open for New Zealand while Dilshan Madushanka had ball in hand for Sri Lanka. Allen made his intentions clear as he heaved it away flat and hard over midwicket for the maximum. Dunith Wellalage had ball in hand for Sri Lanka from the other end. Allen punched the ball through covers and cover point for a boundary. Allen got another boundary from the outer half of the bat to backward point region for a boundary. Seifert joined in the fun as he pulled the ball past square leg for a boundary.
Madushanka continued as Seifert got a reprieve as Theekshana put down a tough chance at short third man. Allen went straight down the ground over the bowler’s head for a boundary. Maheesh Theekshana came into the attack next and he got the first breakthrough removing Allen for 23 off 13 balls with 3 fours and one six to his name chipping it back to the bowler. Rachin Ravindra came out to bat next and got off the mark soon.
Dushmantha Chameera came into the attack next and he got rid of Seifert for 8 off 9 balls with one boundary to his name as the whip was wonderfully taken by Kamindu Mendis at deep backward square leg. Glenn Phillips came out to bat next. He got off the mark as Ravindra drove on the up through the covers for a boundary. Theekshana came to bowl the final over of powerplay and he bowled a decent over.
New Zealand were 44/2 in 6 overs of powerplay with Ravindra unbeaten on 10 off 8 balls and Phillips unbeaten on 3 off 6 balls. Drinks was taken at this stage.
Sri Lankan spinners led by Maheesh Theekshana rattle New Zealand in middle phase of the game
Dushan Hemantha came into the attack post the powerplay as Ravindra survived a close stumping appeal by keeping his foot down on the ground. Ravindra then drilled the ball down the ground for a boundary to wide long-on. The 50 came up in 6.4 overs for the Kiwis. Charith Asalanka came into the attack next and he bowled a decent first over. Hemantha continued as Ravindra used his feet and heaved it away over long-on for the maximum. Phillips then stood tall and smashed it down the ground over the umpire’s head for a boundary.
Chameera came back into the attack as Ravindra was given a lifeline when batting on 25 as Shanaka dropped a sitter running in. Chameera hit back and broke the budding stand by cleaning up Phillips for 18 off 18 balls with one four to his name. Daryl Mitchell came out to bat and played three dot balls as well. New Zealand were 75/3 in 10 overs at the halfway stage of the game.
Dunith Wellalage came back into the attack next as Ravindra went down on one knee and swept it over midwicket for a boundary. Theekshana returned and he removed Ravindra for 32 off 22 balls with 3 fours and one six to his name as a good catch was taken at backward point. Mark Chapman came out to bat next. Theekshana was on a roll as he now knocked over Chapman for a silver duck as the batter did not have clue about it. Mitchell Santner the captain came out to bat next.
Wellalage continued and he got another as he knocked over Mitchell for 3 off 7 balls as the 6th wicket fell for 84 runs. Cole McConchie came out to bat next. Wellalage completed his successful over. Charith Asalanka came back into the attack and he too bowled a tight over. Drinks was taken on the field with New Zealand were 88/6. Wellalage continued after the break and again bowled quiet over. New Zealand limped to 90/6 in 15 overs with McConchie unbeaten on 3 off 11 balls and Santner unbeaten on 3 off 8 balls. Advantage Sri Lanka at this stage.
Mitchell Santner & Cole McConchie helps New Zealand recover and post 168/7
Charith Asalanka came to bowl the 16th over as McConchie broke the shackles by sweeping it behind square for a boundary. Dushmantha Chameera came back into the attack as McConchie went big by heaving over deep square leg for the maximum as the 100 came up for New Zealand in 16.1 overs. McConchie flicked the ball over deep forward square leg for the maximum. McConchie cut the ball past the diving short third man for a boundary.
Theekshana came to bowl the 18th over as Santner punched the ball past point region for a boundary. Santner went big as he slog swept it over deep midwicket for the maximum and then went big by clubbing it over deep midwicket for the maximum. The 50-run stand came up between Santner and McConchie. Madushanka came to bowl the 19th over as McConchie squeezed it down to the deep third man fence for a boundary.
Santner then went big by tonking over long-on for the maximum as 150 came up for New Zealand in 18.4 overs. Chameera came to bowl the final over of the innings as Santner went big with a full toss which was hit over long-on for the maximum. Sri Lanka burnt a review against Santner for caught behind next ball. Santner swung it away past the midwicket fielder for a boundary. Chameera removed Santner off the final ball of the innings for 47 off 26 balls with 2 fours and 6 sixes to his name as Asalanka took a good catch.
McConchie remained unbeaten on 31 off 23 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes to his name as New Zealand recovered well to finish with a competitive 168/7 in 20 overs. 6 extras given by the fielding side. Maheesh Theekshana finished with 3/30 in 4 overs. Dushmantha Chameera finished with 3/38 in 4 overs. Dunith Wellalage finished with 1/27 in 4 overs. Dilshan Madushanka finished with 0/34 in 3 overs. Dushan Hemantha finished with 0/22 in 2 overs. Charith Asalanka bowled 3 overs for 16 runs. This meant Sri Lanka now needs 169 runs to win off 20 overs.
Who’s Winning, New Zealand or Sri Lanka?Â
Sri Lanka were all over New Zealand in the middle phase of the game but the Kiwis bounced back really well through Mitchell Santner and Cole McConchie to recover from 84/6 to finish with 168/7 in 20 overs. It’s a defendable score but not yet a winning score one would feel. Let’s see how the chase unfolds from here. New Zealand have the momentum from the last 4 overs. Match still in balance one would feel.
Also Read:Â ICC T20 WC 2026: Sri Lanka Strikes Early To Keep New Zealand Under Check