New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Highlights, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8: Rachin Ravindra rocks Sri Lanka out of World Cup; NZ win by 61 runs

Mitchell Santner to Pavan Rathnayake, A touch fuller, outside off, Pavan Rathnayake lunges and gently pushes it through cover for an easy single.

Mitchell Santner to Kusal Mendis, Short, outside off, Kusal Mendis punches it to deep cover for a single.

Mitchell Santner to Kusal Mendis, Short and on off, this is punched off the back foot by Mendis, but he can't get it past cover.

Mitchell Santner to Kusal Mendis, Full, on middle, Kusal Mendis pushes it to the left of the bowler.

Mitchell Santner to Pavan Rathnayake, Short and outside off, Pavan Rathnayake stands tall to steer it away. The short third fielder moves to his right but fails to field it as the ball goes through his legs. Single taken.

Mitchell Santner to Pavan Rathnayake, Tossed up, fuller, outside off. Pavan Rathnayake crouches a bit low and punches it to short cover.

DRINKS BREAK! Mark Howard on air mentions that with 20/2 on the board, this is Sri Lanka's lowest Powerplay score in the T20 World Cups. Pretty much sums up their condition right now. They need a steady partnership, but with Kusal Mendis struggling to run between the wickets with a leg issue, it only makes matters worse for Sri Lanka. New Zealand have used their cards smartly by introducing spin inside the restrictions as the ball has gripped and turned. They would look to further choke on the scoring and keep picking up wickets at regular intervals in this middle phase. Mitchell Santner (1-0-6-0) to continue after the break.

Lockie Ferguson to Pavan Rathnayake, Rathnayake expects a short ball and goes right back in the crease. Ferguson responds by slipping in the yorker, on middle. Pavan jams it out in front of cover and takes a single. Just 3 runs off Ferguson's first over. Sri Lanka are going nowhere in the chase.

Lockie Ferguson to Kusal Mendis, A bit of curve back into the right-hander on this slower ball. On a length, on middle. Kusal clips it wide of mid-wicket for a run.

Lockie Ferguson to Kusal Mendis, Cuts back in sharply and the ball kicks up on the batter. On a good length, on the off pole. Kusal is taken aback and fends it down awkwardly.

Lockie Ferguson to Pavan Rathnayake, Leg bye! Pace taken off, on a good length, on the pads. Rathnayake looks to help it away but misses. A leg bye is taken as the ball goes off the pads to short fine leg.

Lockie Ferguson to Pavan Rathnayake, Ferguson hits the hard length, on middle. Pavan rides the bounce and pats it to mid on.

Lockie Ferguson is brought into the attack now, replacing Cole McConchie.

Lockie Ferguson to Pavan Rathnayake, Ferguson steams in from over the wicket and hits the top of off. Rathnayake stays leg side and angles it to backward point.

Mitchell Santner to Kusal Mendis, Darts this one in, on a good length, on the off stump. Mendis stabs it down on the off side watchfully.

Mitchell Santner to Kusal Mendis, Uppish but safe! This is slowed down by Santner, fuller and outside off, Mendis pushes out in front of his body as he looks to force it away on the off side. The ball lobs off the outer half to point, where it lands well in front of the fielder.

Mitchell Santner to Kusal Mendis, FOUR! Gets it away! Skidding through, shorter and on the leg stump. Kusal goes deep in the crease and walks inside the line. Uses the pace and the angle to help it behind square leg for a four.

Mitchell Santner to Kusal Mendis, Drops it short, on off, Kusal hops back and cuts but picks out backward point.

Mitchell Santner to Pavan Rathnayake, Angled into the off stump, Pavan steps out and drives this full ball to wide long off for another single.

Mitchell Santner to Kusal Mendis, Flighted delivery from around the wicket, full and on middle. Kusal works it to long off for a run.

Cole McConchie to Pavan Rathnayake, Shorter and on middle, Rathnayake paddles it to short fine leg.

Cole McConchie to Kusal Mendis, On a nagging length, around leg, Kusal works it square on the leg side for a single.

Cole McConchie to Kusal Mendis, Full and quick at the sticks, Mendis eases it back to the bowler.

Cole McConchie to Kusal Mendis, Shorter and around leg, Kusal works it off the hips to square leg for another single.

Cole McConchie to Pavan Rathnayake, Drifting away from the right-hander, full in length, Pavan taps it in front of mid off and gets across for a single.

Cole McConchie to Pavan Rathnayake, Attacking the front pad, on a length, Rathnayake tucks it to mid-wicket.

Matt Henry to Kusal Mendis, Pushes the length up, does Henry, on off. Kusal firms the drive along the ground to mid off. End of another successful over from Henry.

Matt Henry to Pavan Rathnayake, On a hard length, over off, Rathnayake hops and glides it to deep third for a single.

Matt Henry to Pavan Rathnayake, Nipping back in, on a back of a length, on middle and leg. Pavan Rathnayake hops to keep it out off the back foot. Gets an inside edge that goes to the left of short fine leg for a couple of runs.

Matt Henry to Pavan Rathnayake, Ouch, that has hurt! Tucking the batter up for room, on a short of a length, Pavan swivels for the pull buti is rushed and the ball catches him in the midriff.

Matt Henry to Pavan Rathnayake, A play and a miss! In the channel, on a good length, Pavan leans across for the drive but is beaten on the outside edge.

Couldn't have been a worse possible start for the Islanders, but that was a nothing shot from Asalanka, truly. Pavan Rathnayake makes his way to the crease at number 4.

Matt Henry to Charith Asalanka, OUT! CAUGHT! A soft dismissal. The slower ball does the trick for Matt Henry. This is the off-cutter, at only 121.2 kph, bowled into the surface, on off. Charith Asalanka jumps out of the crease premeditatively. He is nowhere near the pitch of the ball, and it is going away from him. He still has a swing at it and loses his shape. Spoons it tamely to mid-wicket, where Daryl Mitchell takes a sitter. Sri Lanka are 6/2, chasing 169.

Cole McConchie to Kusal Mendis, Full and around off, Kusal knocks it to mid off.

Cole McConchie to Charith Asalanka, Not in control but safe! Floated up, full and wide on off. Asalanka reaches out and tries to drag it down the ground. Skies it off the toe end of the blade but clears the back tracking Mark Chapman at mid on. The second run was on but Mendis was slow to complete the first run.

Cole McConchie to Charith Asalanka, Beaten! This is slower and wider on off, the length stays full. Charith is made to reach out and he pushes away from his body. The ball drops on him and rips past the outside edge.

Cole McConchie to Charith Asalanka, FOUR! Good shot! Cole McConchie gives it a bit of air, fuller and on off. Asalanka gets low and brings out the broom. He takes the risk of going against the turn, but he executes the shot well, playing it over square leg for a four.

Cole McConchie to Kusal Mendis, Skidding through, on a nagging length, on middle. Kusal turns it to the right of the man at mid-wicket and takes a quick single. Mendis and Sri Lanka are underway.

Cole McConchie to Kusal Mendis, Flat and short from around the wicket, on middle. Kusal jabs it off the back foot to mid-wicket.

Spin or pace from the other end? Spin it will be. Here's Cole McConchie into the attack.

Matt Henry to Charith Asalanka, Henry begins with a wicket-maiden! A bit of shape back into the left-hander, on a length, on middle and leg. Asalanka nudges it to mid-wicket. Simon Duoll mentions on air that this is the first maiden bowled by New Zealand at this World Cup. It could not have come at a better time for the Kiwis.

Matt Henry to Charith Asalanka, An ungainly swipe and Asalanka misses. Fuller in length, across off. Charith has a hoick across the line but the ball goes under the blade.

Matt Henry to Charith Asalanka, Henry hits the bat hard, on a back of a length. Asalanka waits on the back foot and fends it down.

Matt Henry to Charith Asalanka, The length is pulled back now, on middle. Charith Asalanka hangs back and stabs it down on the strip.

Matt Henry to Charith Asalanka, Too full, on off, Charith toe-ends the drive to cover.

Early blow for Sri Lanka. Charith Asalanka walks in at number 3.

Matt Henry to Pathum Nissanka, OUT! TIMBER! A jaffa from Matt Henry. A deathly silence at the Premadasa as Pathum Nissanka falls for a golden duck. The nip-backer from a good length, on middle. Nissanka stays rooted to the crease to deal with it and pushes at the ball with hard hands. The ball jags back in sharply to beat the opener on the inside edge and crashes into the top of the middle stump.

Welcome back for Sri Lanka's response with the bat. The players of New Zealand spread out from the huddle and take their respective positions on the field. Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis are the two Sri Lankan openers. Matt Henry has the new ball and is raring to go. Here we go again!

...  THE RUN CHASE ...

A momentum-changing finish - New Zealand looked buried until the 16th over, but then came the late surge that turned everything on its head completely. A match-defining 84-run stand off just 47 balls for the seventh wicket between Mitchell Santner and Cole McConchie rescued New Zealand from deep trouble. As noted by the on air commentators, it was also New Zealand's highest seventh-wicket partnership in T20Is. All the last four overs went into double digits and New Zealand, out of nowhere, even breached the 160-run mark. Sri Lanka have a massive task ahead of them. They were bowled out for under 100 in their first Super Eight match against England while chasing a middling total. And now, they face a far stiffer test against a side that has clawed its way back into the game. It's all shaping up to be a spicy chase ahead. Stay tuned.