New Zealand Vs Sri Lanka: Santner and McConchie lift Black Caps to 61-run Super Eights win in Colombo
In the 46th Match of the Super Eights — Group 2 (N) on February 25, 2026 at Colombo (RPS) — new zealand vs sri lanka finished with New Zealand claiming a 61-run victory. The result matters because a late partnership and disciplined bowling turned a precarious 84-6 into a defendable 168-7, and Sri Lanka were subsequently bundled out at 107-8 while chasing 169.
Match report: New Zealand Vs Sri Lanka in Colombo
New Zealand posted 168-7 after a recovery led by captain Mitch Santner and Cole McConchie. Santner made 47 off 26 balls and McConchie contributed 31 off 23; together their partnership took New Zealand from a collapse to a total that proved sufficient. Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to field first at Colombo (RPS) in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Super Eights fixture.
Santner and McConchie rescue New Zealand
New Zealand had earlier lost three wickets for no runs and slipped to 84-6, a collapse that might have ended their innings prematurely. Santner said there was "a nice little period for us with the track and with the ball" and acknowledged that "we lost three wickets on 84 which is never ideal. " He described the plan with McConchie as trying to get to 140 to set up the death overs and called 160 "wasn't a bad total from there. " Santner also reflected on his own knock, noting he had been "not particularly happy with my four off 10 in the last game" and that getting time at the crease allowed him to "cash in. "
Ravindra, Theekshana and Chameera dent the chase
Sri Lanka’s bowlers produced notable individual returns. Ravindra took 4-27 as Sri Lanka were reduced to 107-8 while chasing 169. Theekshana and Chameera each claimed three wickets in the match; those returns and Ravindra’s four-wicket haul applied the pressure that prevented a chase. The bowling figures underpinned the final margin: New Zealand won by 61 runs.
Dasun Shanaka reflects on toss, pitch and disappointment
Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka described the outcome as "embarrassing to disappoint the home crowd" and said the side had "started really well" before the partnership between Santner and McConchie took the game away. He said the decision to bat had been a collective one and that the team "didn't expect the pitch to turn that much. " Shanaka added Sri Lanka had hoped to restrict New Zealand to around 130 but conceded "they played really well so we must give them credit, " and urged his team to "finish on a high" in their remaining fixture.
Broadcast notes, powerplay highlight and wider tournament schedule
The match commentary drew attention to New Zealand's mid-innings wobble — a spell described in highlights as New Zealand's charge cut short — and posed wider tournament questions such as "What should England do about Jos Buttler?" Observers also flagged match coverage and analysis, including a written piece by Sam Drury that framed New Zealand’s result as a "stunning 61-run victory over Sri Lanka. "
Looking ahead, live-text coverage planned for the tournament lists two fixtures for the following day: West Indies versus South Africa at 09: 30 GMT and India versus Zimbabwe at 13: 30 GMT.
What makes this notable is how a single late partnership altered both the complexion of the innings and the contest: by pushing New Zealand to 168-7, Santner and McConchie handed the bowlers a target that Sri Lanka’s attack — despite Ravindra’s 4-27 and three-wicket hauls for Theekshana and Chameera — could not chase down.
