🏏ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026: S8 - M46: New Zealand vs Sri Lanka🏏 - Page 5

Hamza: "If Mitchell Santner scores a blinder today, it would be just as impactful and thrilling as what Harry Brook delivered last night (a captain knock)"

Seems kudrat ka nizaam is with a certain team

16.3

6

Dushmantha Chameera to McConchie, SIX, what timing! Another slower ball from Chameera and McConchie has got hold of this.

16.1

6

Dushmantha Chameera to McConchie, SIX, pace on and McConchie launches it over the rope. Much needed hit for New Zealand. 138.1ks length delivery, right in the slot and McConchie decides to go leg-side, uses the bottom hand and whips it over deep square leg

What just happened?

NZ was about 73 for 2 in the 9th over and still 98 for 6 in the 16th over?

-- Before this game, New Zealand were the best batting unit against spin among the Super 8 teams in this tournament, lost the fewest wickets (6), averaged (43.66), and struck at 160.7 SR. This is their first game in Sri Lanka, and they already lost 4 wickets to slower bowlers.

Time for drinks. New Zealand won't mind a break - gives them an opportunity to assess the situation and go again. Sri Lanka's spinners have spun a web which has tangled the New Zealand batters. From hereon, a score around 140-150 would be competitive. But who is going to take New Zealand there?

NZ

(16.6/20 ov) 116/6

SL

Sri Lanka chose to field.

CRR: 6.82

• Last 5 ov (RR): 32/1 (6.40)

Live Forecast:NZ 138

Aditya: Daryl Mitchell batting down the order is so baffling. He is one of the best middle over batters going around who can build the innings and should be facing the maximum number of balls. His ability to play spin and find the empty pockets does not justify his current position.

Santner to the rescue: Santner averages nearly 30 with the bat against Sri Lanka. He will have to play a key role here if New Zealand are to get anywhere near a respectable total. Expecting to him score a 30 plus from here...

What a turnaround from Wellalage. His first two overs went for 23 runs and he finishes with figures of 4-0-27-1.

I think this WC favours the underdogs yeh ho kya raha hai

New Zealand finally hitting those runs

New Zealand Innings

17.5 Theekshana to Santner, SIX runs

And now Theekshana's losing the plot now. Full toss, looks like it's above his waist, and it's lobbed up at him like a friendly baseball pitch. Santner has shuffled down the leg side just a little, and he swings into the hills and across the line once again. The cow corner boundary is being peppered right now. Ah, and replays show it is dipping just below the waist, so Theekshana gets out of this over without a free hit, at least

17.4 Theekshana to Santner, SIX runs

He means business now. In the slot on middle stump, so Santner gets on one knees and swipes this across the line and into the shorter boundary.

17.3 Theekshana to Santner, FOUR runs

Pulled short of a length, outside off on fifth stump. Santner hangs back and cuts this to perfection. Still, looks like it will be cut off by a diving deep square leg. But the ball was escaping his grasp even before it landed in there, and was rifled into the ropes