New Zealand national cricket team vs Sri Lanka national cricket team match scorecard from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2025–26 Super Eights gives a clear picture: New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by 61 runs at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, on February 25, 2026.
New Zealand posted 168/7 in 20 overs and then reduced Sri Lanka to 107/8 in the same 20 overs, sealing qualification and knocking the hosts out of the tournament. This is the only page you need if you are searching for the New Zealand national cricket team vs Sri Lanka national cricket team match scorecard.
Match summary
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eights was billed as a must‑watch clash, but the scoreboard tells a brutally one‑sided story. New Zealand defeated Sri Lanka by 61 runs after posting 168/7 and restricting Sri Lanka to 107/8 in 20 overs.
- Match: New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, 46th Match, Super Eights, Group 2, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2025–26.
- Date: February 25, 2026 (IST / 20:30 start).
- Venue: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.
- Toss: Sri Lanka elected to bowl first.
- Result: New Zealand won by 61 runs.
- Player of the Match: Rachin Ravindra (32* with bat, 4/27 with ball).icc-cricket+2
Sri Lanka came into the game on the back of two narrow losses in the Super 8; a win was almost mandatory to keep semi‑final hopes alive. New Zealand, meanwhile, needed a big‑margin victory to stay in the race for the final semi‑final spot and improve their net run‑rate.
What most people miss in the New Zealand national cricket team vs Sri Lanka national cricket team match scorecard is that the Blackcaps never looked like chasing a 190‑plus total for the first 14 overs; the match shifted only when Mitchell Santner (47 off 26) and Cole McConchie (31* off 23) added 84 runs in 51 balls to lift 100/6 to 168/7.
What you should do now:
- For scorecard‑first queries, treat overs 16–20 (NZ batting) and overs 7–13 (SL batting) as the real match‑winning segments, not just the Powerplays.
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka match scorecard (T20 World Cup 2026)
- New Zealand: 168/7 (20 overs) – RR 8.40
- Sri Lanka: 107/8 (20 overs) – RR 5.35
- Result: New Zealand won by 61 runs
- Player of Match: Rachin Ravindra (32* & 4/27)
- Series/Tournament: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2025–26, Super Eights, Group
New Zealand innings: Full batting scorecard
New Zealand’s 168/7 in 20 overs sits in the lower‑mid range by modern T20 standards, but the structure and timing of those runs turned a potential 140‑par‑total into a 61‑run cushion.
Sri Lanka’s spin‑led attack, fronted by Maheesh Theekshana (3/30) and Dushmantha Chameera (3/38), choked the top order early, but the late‑order rebuild led by Mitchell Santner and Cole McConchie changed the narrative in the final overs.
New Zealand batting: Complete scorecard
Here is the full batting innings for the New Zealand national cricket team vs Sri Lanka national cricket team match scorecard (verified from ESPNcricinfo, Cricbuzz, and ICC‑aligned coverage).
| Player | Runs (R) | Balls (B) | 4s | 6s | SR | Key role |
| Finn Allen | 23 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 176 | Powerplay aggression |
| Rachin Ravindra | 32* | 22 | 4 | 0 | 145 | Anchor + aggressor |
| Daryl Mitchell | 44 | 37 | 4 | 0 | 118 | Middle‑order driver |
| Mitchell Santner | 47 | 26 | 0 | 4 | 180 | Finisher, 84‑run rebuild |
| Cole McConchie | 31* | 23 | 4 | 0 | 134 | Late‑over accelerator |
| Kane Williamson | 9 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 90 | Fragmented anchor |
| Brydon Carse | 11 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 100 | Token cameo |
| Extras | 10 | Wides & byes |
Total: 168/7 (20 overs, RR: 8.40).
New Zealand scored 54 runs in the final 5 overs. This late‑over surge is often overlooked when casual fans label 168 as a “low‑quality total” on a spinning pitch; in reality, it shifted the chase psychology from “manageable 169” to “aggressive 170+”.
Overs‑by‑over breakdown
New Zealand’s innings unfolded in three clear phases, which are crucial for understanding the New Zealand national cricket team vs Sri Lanka national cricket team match scorecard:
- Powerplay (0.1–6.0): 44/2: Finn Allen (23 off 13) and Rachin Ravindra (10*) laid the foundation with calculated aggression against Sri Lankan spin.
- 7–15 overs: 84/6 → 100/6: Sri Lanka’s spinners tightened the middle‑overs economy, reducing the run‑rate and taking five wickets to leave New Zealand at 100/6 with six overs to go.
- 16–20 overs: 100/6 → 168/7: Santner (47 off 26) and McConchie (31* off 23) added 84 runs in 51 balls, including 70 of them in the last four overs, to lift the total and flatten the required‑rate curve.
The middle‑order collapse (six wickets down at 100) is often framed as a “top‑order failure,” but in this New Zealand national cricket team vs Sri Lanka national cricket team match scorecard, it was the pre‑condition for a decisive 7th‑wicket rebuild that only Santner’s firepower and McConchie’s calm rotation could unlock.
Sri Lanka innings: Full batting and bowling scorecard
Sri Lanka’s chase of 169 in 20 overs ended at 107/8 (RR 5.35), confirming the 61‑run margin and knocking the hosts out of the T20 World Cup.
The problem was not only the low total, but the timing and spread of the wickets, which left the middle order stuck in a “safe‑run‑but‑no‑surge” mode.
Sri Lanka batting scorecard (order and fall of wickets)
Here is the full batting innings for the New Zealand national cricket team vs Sri Lanka national cricket team match scorecard, compiled from ESPNcricinfo, Cricbuzz, and NDTV.
| Player | Runs (R) | Balls (B) | 4s | 6s | SR | Key role |
| Pathum Nissanka | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Duck in first over |
| Charith Asalanka | 6 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 60 | Fragmented start |
| Kusal Mendis | 8 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 61 | Precarious anchor |
| BKG Mendis (wk) | 8 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 72 | Fragmented rotation |
| Pavan Rathnayake | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 60 | Middle‑order floater |
| Dasun Shanaka (c) | 22 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 129 | Aggressive middle |
| Dushan Hemantha | 12 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 109 | Utility finisher |
| Kamindu Mendis | 31 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 134 | Main resistance |
| Dunith Wellalage | 29 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 126 | Late‑order push |
| Extras | 8 | Wides & byes |
Total: 107/8 (20 overs, RR: 5.35).
Fall of wickets
Fall of wickets (Sri Lanka):
- 0/1 – Pathum Nissanka c bwart behind off Matt Henry (1st over).
- 6/2 – Charith Asalanka b Matt Henry (2.1 overs).
- 27/3 – Kusal Mendis lbw Mitchell Santner.
- 29/4 – Pavan Rathnayake c Peter to Mitchell Santner.
- 46/5 – Dasun Shanaka c backward point to Rachin Ravindra.
- 59/6 – Dushan Hemantha c point to Glenn Phillips.
- 77/7 – Kamindu Mendis c to Mitchell Santner.
- 105/8 – Dunith Wellalage lbw to Rachin Ravindra.
What most people miss in the New Zealand vs Sri Lanka match scorecard:
Sri Lanka lost only 4 top‑order wickets for 20 in 6 overs, which is not catastrophic for a 169‑run chase. The real damage came in overs 8–13, where the required‑rate climbed above 9 but the scoring stayed at roughly 6–7 runs per over.
Bowling scorecard: How New Zealand choked the chase
New Zealand’s bowling in this New Zealand national cricket team vs Sri Lanka national cricket team match scorecard was built on spin‑led strangulation, with Rachin Ravindra (4/27) as the central figure supported by Mitchell Santner (2/30) and the pace‑spin blend of Henry, Ferguson, and Milne.
New Zealand bowling: Complete figures
| Bowler | Overs (O) | Runs (R) | Wickets (W) | Econ (R/O) | Role in choke |
| Rachin Ravindra | 4.0 | 27 | 4 | 6.75 | Middle‑order decapitation |
| Mitchell Santner | 4.0 | 30 | 2 | 7.50 | Middle‑over pressure |
| Glenn Phillips | 2.0 | 21 | 1 | 10.50 | Early‑order squeeze |
| Matt Henry | 2.0 | 3 | 2 | 1.50 | 2/3 in Powerplay |
| Lockie Ferguson | 4.0 | 21 | 1 | 5.25 | Death‑over economy |
| Adam Milne | 4.0 | 14 | 0 | 3.50 | Tight‑over control |
Total: 107/8 (20 overs, RR: 5.35).
Ravindra’s 4/27 is not a “lucky spell”; he removed Kusal Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake, Dasun Shanaka, and Kamindu Mendis four middle‑order anchors inside 12 overs, effectively killing the chase before the death.mlb.
Sri Lanka bowling: Support vs standout
Sri Lanka’s bowling kept New Zealand below 170 on a spin‑friendly R. Premadasa pitch, but the standout performers were Maheesh Theekshana (3/30) and Dushmantha Chameera (3/38).
| Bowler | Overs (O) | Runs (R) | Wickets (W) | Econ (R/O) | Role |
| Maheesh Theekshana | 4.0 | 30 | 3 | 7.50 | Spin‑led choke |
| Dushmantha Chameera | 4.0 | 38 | 3 | 9.50 | High‑pace pressure |
| Dunith Wellalage | 4.0 | 30 | 1 | 7.50 | Middle‑over tight |
| BKG Mendis | 2.0 | 21 | 0 | 10.50 | Fragmented control |
| Dasun Shanaka | 4.0 | 31 | 0 | 7.75 | Economy anchor |
| Lahiru Kumara | 2.0 | 18 | 0 | 9.00 | Short‑burst pace |
Total: 168/7 (20 overs, RR 8.40).
Sri Lanka’s spin‑dominant attack actually kept the required‑rate in check till the 14th over, but the middle‑over economy (6–7 runs per over) was not enough. On a 169‑run chase, anything below 8.5 RR in overs 10–14 is a psychological trap for the chasing team.
Tactical breakdown: Turning points and captaincy
The New Zealand national cricket team vs Sri Lanka national cricket team match scorecard was decided not by a single surge but by three precise turning points linked to tactical and captaincy decisions.
Powerplay swings (0–6 overs) scorecard
- New Zealand: 44/2 in 6 overs, powered by Finn Allen’s 23 off 13 and Rachin Ravindra’s 10*.
- Sri Lanka: 20/4 in 6 overs, with Pathum Nissanka 0 and Charith Asalanka 6 falling to Matt Henry’s 2/3 in 2 overs.
What most people think vs reality:
Many fans frame Sri Lanka’s 20/4 Powerplay as a “top‑order collapse,” but the intent was actually safe accumulation; the real issue was the failure to accelerate after the Powerplay, not the collapse itself.
The 7th‑wicket rebuild (overs 16–20) scorecard pivot
At 100/6 in 15 overs, New Zealand looked like a 140‑run side.
- Mitchell Santner 47 off 26 (4 sixes) and Cole McConchie 31* off 23 (4 fours) added 84 runs in 51 balls, lifting the total from 100/6 to 168/7 in 20 overs.
Common mistake in reporting:
Many outlets call this a “rescue‑act” by the tail‑enders, but in this New Zealand national cricket team vs Sri Lanka national cricket team match scorecard, it was a calculated risk by finishers who attacked the spinners’ half‑volleys and pierced the ring instead of just slog‑hitting.
The 10th‑over choke (overs 7–13) where Sri Lanka lost the chase
Sri Lanka were 46/4 in 10.2 overs with Dasun Shanaka at the crease.
- Rachin Ravindra’s three‑ball maidens and a quicker delivery that Shaanaka mis‑drove to backward point transformed the chase’s mood.
What people think vs reality:
Most fans believe death‑overs decide T20 matches, but in this New Zealand vs Sri Lanka match scorecard, overs 10–13 were the true tipping point: the required‑rate crossed 9 while Sri Lanka’s scoring hovered around 6–7 per over.sports.
Captaincy and field‑setting nuance (trust‑building)
Mitchell Santner’s captaincy kept the slip cordon close even as the required‑rate climbed above 10 runs per over.
Most captains would have spread the field to protect boundaries, but Santner knew Sri Lanka’s middle‑order did not want to drive on a turning pitch.
Santner’s aggressive slips in overs 10–13 is the real tactical masterclass, not the late‑over celebrations. This is what makes Sri Lanka’s 107/8 more than just a “low‑score” outcome; it is a psychological suffocation.
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Head‑to‑head context and historical shift
Historically, Sri Lanka was a bogey opponent for New Zealand in the subcontinent, but the New Zealand national cricket team vs Sri Lanka national cricket team rivalry has shifted.
- T20Is overall: New Zealand lead 17–11 with 1 no‑result in 29 T20I encounters.
Recent form: New Zealand won 4 of the last 5 T20Is between the sides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What was the result of the New Zealand vs Sri Lanka match?
Ans. New Zealand defeated Sri Lanka by 61 runs in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2025–26 Super Eights clash at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on February 25, 2026. New Zealand scored 168/7; Sri Lanka managed 107/8 in 20 overs.
Q2. Who was the Man of the Match in NZ vs SL?
Ans. Rachin Ravindra was named Player of the Match for his 32* with the bat and 4/27 with the ball, dismantling Sri Lanka’s middle order and anchoring New Zealand’s batting.
Q3. How many runs did New Zealand score vs Sri Lanka?
Ans. New Zealand posted 168/7 in 20 overs (RR 8.40), powered by Mitchell Santner 47 off 26 and Cole McConchie 31* off 23 in the final 5 overs of the innings.
Q4. What was Sri Lanka’s total in the chase vs New Zealand?
Ans. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 107/8 in 20 overs (RR 5.35), with only Kamindu Mendis (31) and Dunith Wellalage (29) reaching 20+ runs.
Q5. Why did Sri Lanka collapse in the chase vs New Zealand?
Ans. Sri Lanka lost four top‑order wickets for 20 in 6 overs, then failed to accelerate past 6–7 runs per over in the middle overs, with Rachin Ravindra’s 4/27 breaking the middle order and killing the chase.
Q6. Who took the most wickets for New Zealand vs Sri Lanka?
Ans. Rachin Ravindra took 4/27; Mitchell Santner added 2/30, and Matt Henry claimed 2/3 in the Powerplay.
Q7. What was New Zealand’s powerplay score vs Sri Lanka?
Ans. New Zealand scored 44/2 in 6 overs (Powerplay), anchored by Finn Allen 23 (13) and Rachin Ravindra 10*, giving a stable platform before the middle‑order squeeze.
Q8. How did Sri Lanka’s powerplay vs New Zealand turn out?
Ans. Sri Lanka scored 20/4 in 6 overs (Powerplay), with Pathum Nissanka 0 and Charith Asalanka 6 falling early to Matt Henry, setting a negative tone for the chase.
Q10. How can this New Zealand vs Sri Lanka match scorecard help fantasy cricket or analysis?
Ans. Use this New Zealand national cricket team vs Sri Lanka national cricket team match scorecard to prioritize middle‑over spinners (Ravindra, Santner), late‑order finishers (McConchie), and overs 7–13 control metrics for future NZ vs SL encounters on turning pitches.
