🏏ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026: S8 - M46: New Zealand vs Sri Lanka🏏 - Page 3

Mitchell Santner: Nice to be here. It’s been a few days without a proper game - obviously we were up against the rain the other night and there’s not much you can do about that - but we’ve had some good training sessions and we’re ready for this big match. The challenge will be taking on the Sri Lankan spinners. We’ve been playing in India, so the conditions aren’t unfamiliar, and it’s been pleasing to see different guys step up at different times. That’s all you can really ask for. The two at the top have done an outstanding job, and hopefully they can set the tone again. The surface looks good, so the aim is to put up a strong score. We’ve made one change - Cole McConhie comes in for Jimmy Neesham - which gives us a bit more spin in the middle order. It adds balance, but a lot will depend on the ground dimensions. I think whichever side is smarter in using the bigger side of the boundary will have a pretty good day.

Dasun Shanaka: We’re going to bowl first. The main lesson for our batters from the game against England is to take the innings deep and show more responsibility through the middle overs. I thought our bowlers did a pretty decent job in the last match, and we expect them to deliver a similar performance tonight. There might be some assistance for the spinners, but you never really know what the surface will offer, so we felt bowling first was the right call. We’ve made one change - Kamal Mishara misses out and Charith Asalanka comes into the side, which adjusts our top order slightly.

Unfortunately for Sri Lanka, Premadasa has not been a happy hunting ground. They have won only 9 of their 34 games here, with a win percentage of just 26.5. They also lost to Zimbabwe at this venue just a week ago. And failing to chase 147 against England in their previous game would have hurt deeply. However, they must now put the past behind them and focus on the task at hand. They have to beat New Zealand to stay in contention for a semi-final spot.

As for New Zealand, their first Super 8 clash against Pakistan was washed out due to rain. On the positive side, they have a 100 percent win record at this venue, having won both of their completed matches here. Interestingly, all three of their wins in this tournament have come while chasing. Skipper Mitchell Santner has picked up just one wicket in three games so far, while Ish Sodhi is yet to bowl in the tournament. Both will need to play crucial roles if New Zealand are to edge past Sri Lanka tonight. Hello and a warm welcome to Game 46. Buckle up, folks - this promises to be a high-octane contest.

All the best to both team

Rooting for NZ

Pitch report - Aaron Finch | Russel Arnold: We aee out here in the middle and the conditions are perfect - there’s a lovely breeze and the temperature has dropped nicely. The key factor tonight, though, is the boundary dimensions: 62 metres to the leg side for a right-hander, 75 metres to the off side, and 75 straight down the ground. It certainly looks like a traditional R. Premadasa surface - dry, with a bit of grass covering and a few bare patches - which suggests there could be some variable pace and bounce. That won’t necessarily trouble the batters if they apply themselves, but it is on the slower side. When you bowl slower here, there’s more turn on offer, so controlling pace and varying it becomes crucial. For spinners, the key is to bowl away from the batters, tempt them to come down the track and force the big shot. That makes stroke play harder and brings mistakes into play. If you bowl in line with the stumps, it becomes much easier to hit through the line and score freely.

Pitch report - Aaron Finch | Russel Arnold: We aee out here in the middle and the conditions are perfect - there’s a lovely breeze and the temperature has dropped nicely. The key factor tonight, though, is the boundary dimensions: 62 metres to the leg side for a right-hander, 75 metres to the off side, and 75 straight down the ground. It certainly looks like a traditional R. Premadasa surface - dry, with a bit of grass covering and a few bare patches - which suggests there could be some variable pace and bounce. That won’t necessarily trouble the batters if they apply themselves, but it is on the slower side. When you bowl slower here, there’s more turn on offer, so controlling pace and varying it becomes crucial. For spinners, the key is to bowl away from the batters, tempt them to come down the track and force the big shot. That makes stroke play harder and brings mistakes into play. If you bowl in line with the stumps, it becomes much easier to hit through the line and score freely.

Sonny: "Quick question about the semi finals, how are they arranged? Is it top of Group 1 playing 2nd of Group 2? interested in how England may get in the semis and (hopefully) eventual final?" -- Yep, that's exactly how the semis will be decided.

Palinda: "Finally the old opening duo is back. Hopefully Asalanka will be given the No 3 spot where he performed well in 2021 edition" -- He's carded to bat at No. 3, so your hopes may come true.

Mahesh : "Very interesting has been the super 8 so far. Both the host nations Indian, Srilanka and the third subcontinent team Pakistan, all have lost their opening games which put them straight away in a must win situation."

6.40pm As far as pitch and conditions go, there is one shorter square boundary at 62m and the other is 75m. Here is Russel Arnold's pitch report: "It's a dry pitch, but there's a bit of grass and it looks a little rough to me so you can expect some variable pace and bounce. But it won't alarm the batters. You can really score some runs. Spin to win here. One thing you know, here in Sri Lanka you need to go up and down and the slower you bowl, the more turn you get. These are not pitches where you get wickets all the time. You have to play on the batter's mind and bowl it away from them - slower and wide of the stumps. That's when it's effective. Get the batters to reach for it and create that pace, that's when they'll struggle. You bowl it in line with the stumps, he can hit you away. So it's very smart bowling that will really allow you to dominate. I feel 170 is the score you must get batting first."

Which opener will have a bigger impact today?

8.7Kvotes

Pathum Nissanka

Finn Allen

6.25pm Sri Lanka may have put in a poor display against England, but New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner isn't taking them lightly. Here's what he had to say ahead of the game.

Gima: "Charith Aslanka was not in form and it was the reason he had to step down from his T20 captaincy. He strength is generate power and drag the game deep. However, his running between wickets is concerning as well as he plays high number of dots. If I include Charith in playing 11, I would give him the finisher role and bring Kamidu to Open with Pathum." -- That's a good proposition, but I think Kusal Mendis will then get bumped up to open, with Kamindu possibly at No. 3, if Asalanka is given the finisher's role.

6.20pm Speaking of fast bowlers, here is a lovely piece on the making of Jacob Duffy, a cricketer and an inspiration.

Shadow-Shell: "Isn't it crazy how people were thinking if England will even make Super 8 and now they're the first to qualify to Semis"

Confused fan: "As a pak fan, I am confused about today. What would be better outcome for Pak, a SL win leading to virtual quarterfinals with Pak or NZ win leading to situation where SL have nothing to lose in the Pak match." -- Well, if New Zealand win today, then Pakistan's fate won't be in their hands anymore and they will need to rely on England doing them a favour on top of having to beat Sri Lanka themselves. Hopefully that helps you be a slightly less confused fan?

Sachcha: "KJP or Charith for Kamil? what would be the choice for SL?" -- Nagraj, based on indications from the ground, seems to think Asalanka will come in. Madushka in our preview reckons Mishara will keep his place. Sri Lanka could of course flip-flop back to Perera, who they have tried without much success already in this World Cup. It will be an interesting talking point, come toss time. We'll have our answers in around 15 minutes!

6.15pm When it comes to bowling the focus in - and for - Sri Lanka is mainly on spin. But Dushmantha Chameera for long has been their pace spearhead and showed how destructive he can be even at 34, and with a spate of injuries behind him. Despite those many injuries, he keeps rising right back up and delivering, and Madushka Balasuriya nicely captures how Chameera has become Sri Lanka's fast-bowling phoenix.

6.10pm Nagraj also had a chat with Ish Sodhi yesterday, a legspinner who has endured and evolved, and still texts Shane Warne. It's a must-read interview, and you can catch it here.

Nagraj Gollapudi is at the ground today and here are his early inputs: "Lockie has marked his run-up. Ish Sodhi, who was part of XI for Pakistan, will also play. Doubt NZ will change their line-up from pervious washout. For SL, Asalanka likely ahead of of Kamil Mishara."

6pm Hello and welcome! Today, Sri Lanka will do battle with New Zealand in a high-stakes clash in Colombo. For Sri Lanka, the equation is simple: win or go bust. For New Zealand, they can afford a slip-up today, but barely so. One team from this group of the Super Eight is already in the semi-finals, so each game remaining now has that much more jeopardy attached to it. The hosts will be looking to bounce back after an embarrassing collapse. New Zealand, meanwhile, will be playing their first game in Sri Lanka in this World Cup, which means a drastic change in conditions from what they faced in their games across India in the group stage. Who'll come out on top?

Dilshan Madushanka to Finn Allen, SIX, enough of the sighters says Finn Allen. He gets a 138ks full ball on off stump, clears the front leg and hoicks it off the strong bottom hand over mid-wicket for a 71-metre maximum.

NZ 8/0 after the first over.

Dushmantha Chameera to Tim Seifert, out Caught by Kamindu Mendis!! Talk about placement. Tim Seifert did everything on that delivery except the placement. It was dug in short and Seifert wanted to use the pace on that delivery to target the shortest part of the ground - square on the leg-side. He played the pull, but relied on timing rather than power. It flew off the bat and went flat towards deep square where Kamindu takes a well-judged catch above his head. Tim Seifert c Kamindu Mendis b Dushmantha Chameera 8(9) [4s-1]

Dushmantha Chameera to Tim Seifert, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

NZ--- 39/2 after 4.5 overs.