New Zealand Vs Sri Lanka: Ravindra’s 4-27 can’t stop Santner and McConchie in Super Eights win
New Zealand Vs Sri Lanka produced a decisive Super Eights result in Colombo as Santner and Cole McConchie rebuilt an innings and Ravindra’s four wickets could not force a chase. The 46th Match, Super Eights, Group 2 (N) in Colombo (RPS) on February 25, 2026, left Sri Lanka staring at 107-8 while chasing a target of 169.
Match details: 46th Match, Super Eights in Colombo and Sri Lanka’s toss decision
The fixture was the 46th Match of the Super Eights, Group 2 (N), held at Colombo (RPS) on February 25, 2026, as part of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to field first in Colombo.
New Zealand recovery after an 84-6 slump, Santner and McConchie build the score
New Zealand threatened to self-destruct earlier in their innings when they lost three wickets for no runs, slipping to 84-6. A rebuilding stand between Mitch Santner and Cole McConchie steadied the innings; Santner finished 47 off 26 and McConchie made 31 off 23 as New Zealand recovered to 168-7.
Spin and seam success: three wickets for Theekshana and Chameera as Ravindra claims 4-27
Sri Lanka’s bowling attack produced notable hauls: there were three wickets for Theekshana and three wickets for Chameera in the match, and Ravindra took 4-27 as Sri Lanka slumped to 107-8 while chasing 169. That bowling effort kept Sri Lanka in the game but ultimately left them well short of the target.
Captains on the pitch, tactics and the England question
New Zealand captain Mitch Santner reflected on the match and the surface: "There was obviously a nice little period for us with the track and with the ball. They squeezed us a lot, I think we lost three wickets on 84 which is never ideal. " He said he and Cole McConchie were "thinking we would try to get to 140, which kind of set it up for the last two or three overs. I guess 160 wasn't a bad total from there. "
On his own batting he added: "Well I wasn't particularly happy with my four off 10 in the last game! It's one of those wickets where, if you can get in and give yourself a bit of time, you can cash in. It was pretty tough to start out there, so to hit 160 was nice. " Santner also noted the balance of the surface: "It looked like a pretty wicket at the toss. We have watched a few games here and it has kind of been a case of the more you bowl, the more it spins. Also, on the seam was quite nice and effective. " Looking ahead he warned about England: "They are outstanding, we know that. It is a quick turnaround for us. If we play on something similar to this, it might be a bit of a slog-fest as well. "
Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka was blunt about the home side's display: "It's embarrassing to disappoint the home crowd, they've been very supportive. We started really well but that partnership [between Santner and McConchie] was a really good one that took the game away from us. " He added that the decision to bat had been collective and that the team "didn't expect the pitch to turn that much. " Shanaka said they had aimed to "restrict them to 130" but conceded: "to be honest, they played really well so we must give them credit. " He finished by saying there is "one more game, we need to finish on a high so hopefully we can have our best game. "
Result, reaction and what’s coming next
The match ended as a 61-run victory for New Zealand — a margin described in coverage as a "stunning 61-run victory over Sri Lanka. " Despite the clear result, the coverage noted that "it didn't bring as much drama as a Super 8s match-up normally would but, nevertheless, we really enjoyed taking you through it. " There was also a broader tournament curiosity posed in the coverage: "What should England do about Jos Buttler?"
Readers were invited to follow more tournament action the following day, with live-text commentary scheduled as West Indies take on South Africa at 09: 30 GMT and India face Zimbabwe at 13: 30 GMT.
Summing up the contest
New Zealand's recovery from 84-6 to 168-7, powered by Santner's 47 off 26 and McConchie's 31 off 23, set a target Sri Lanka could not reach despite Ravindra's 4-27 and notable three-wicket hauls for Theekshana and Chameera. The result closed out the 46th Match of the Super Eights in Colombo on February 25, 2026, with Sri Lanka 107-8 in pursuit of 169.
