New Zealand 168 for 7 (Santner 47, Ravindra 32, Theekshana 3-30, Chameera 3-38) beat Sri Lanka 107 for 8 (Kamindu 31, Wellalage 29, Ravindra 4-27, Henry 2-3) by 61 runs
A stunning rearguard from Mitchell Santner and Cole McConchie knocked Sri Lanka out of the 2026 T20 World Cup in spite of an electric start for the hosts as New Zealand sealed a crushing 61-run win. At an electric R Premadasa Stadium that crackled with perhaps the best atmosphere of the tournament, Sri Lanka’s spinners put New Zealand’s top and middle order to the sword, reducing them to 84 for 6.
But just as New Zealand’s innings looked to be petering out, Santner and McConchie responded with a fierce counterattack in the last four overs. McConchie began it with a takedown of Dushmantha Chameera before Santner flayed Maheesh Theekshana, up till then the game’s best bowler. The last four overs produced 70 runs as the duo put on 84, the highest seventh-wicket stand in T20 World Cup history.
Punch-drunk Sri Lanka never got up off the floor following that flurry of attacks. The first ball of the innings saw them lose their talisman Pathum Nissanka to Matt Henry‘s inswinger, and Charith Asalanka fell in his following over. In response, Sri Lanka retreated into their shell as New Zealand strangled them with spin.
Rachin Ravindra only had a part-time role in India but he was thrust in as the main character. He responded with two wickets in his first over and rounded out his spell with 4 for 19 – his best T20I figures. The game was long done even as it meandered to a dispiriting conclusion for a crowd that had shown its side it was ready to play its part. As Sri Lanka limped to 107 for 8, and out of the tournament, the team itself simply couldn’t keep up its end of the bargain.
