Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Captain Mitchell Santner and Cole McConchie shared a decisive 84-run seventh-wicket partnership to lift New Zealand to 168 for 7 after a middle-order collapse in a must-win T20 World Cup Super 8 match on Wednesday, February 25, 2026.
New Zealand had slumped from a strong position to 98 for 6 in the 16th over after Sri Lanka spinner Maheesh Theekshana triggered a dramatic collapse with three key wickets.
Theekshana (3 for 30) removed Finn Allen inside the powerplay with his carrom ball, dismissed the well-set Rachin Ravindra with a flighted delivery and then bowled Mark Chapman for a two-ball duck with a disguised wrong one. Sri Lanka pacer Dushmantha Chameera complemented him with figures of 3 for 38, striking with pace in excess of 140 kph to remove Tim Seifert and Glenn Phillips.
After losing four wickets for nine runs between the 10th and 13th overs, New Zealand appeared headed for a sub-par total.
But Santner and McConchie counterattacked in the final overs.
McConchie shifted momentum in the 17th over by striking Chameera for two sixes and a four in an 18-run burst. Santner followed by taking on Theekshana in the 18th over, smashing a four and two sixes as New Zealand regained control.
The pair added 84 runs off 47 balls, plundering 70 runs in the final four overs as Sri Lanka’s bowlers faltered at the death with erratic lines.
Santner struck four sixes and two fours in a 26-ball 47 before falling to the final delivery of the innings. McConchie remained unbeaten on 31 from 23 balls, including three fours and two sixes.
Earlier, New Zealand had raced to 73 for 2 after nine overs. Allen made 23 off 13 balls, while Ravindra contributed 32 off 22 balls.
Sri Lanka had opted to bowl first on a dry Khettarama surface, and its spinners made early inroads after the brisk start.
With England already through from Group 2, one semifinal spot remains open, with New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka still in contention.
1st Innings Scorecard: New Zealand 168/7 in 20 overs (Mitchell Santner 47, Cole McConchie 31*, Rachin Ravindra 32; Maheesh Theekshana 3-30, Dushmantha Chameera 3-38) against Sri Lanka
