New Zealand National Cricket Team Vs England Cricket Team Match Scorecard: McConchie’s fighting 31 helps NZ dominate Sri Lanka by 61 runs
new zealand national cricket team vs england cricket team match scorecard — New Zealand produced a dominant display in Colombo, posting 168-7 and bowling Sri Lanka out or restricting them to 107-8 while defending a target of 169, a 61-run victory that keeps them moving through the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
Santner and McConchie rebuild after wobble to set a defendable 168
Mitch Santner’s 47 off 26 and Cole McConchie’s 31 off 23 repaired an early collapse that had New Zealand slip to 84-6 after losing three wickets for no runs. Their partnership lifted the visitors to 168-7 in Colombo; Santner said he and McConchie aimed to get to 140 to set up the final overs and that 160–170 looked a reasonable target.
Ravindra’s 4-27 and three-wicket hauls from Theekshana and Chameera
Sri Lanka’s chase of 169 ended at 107-8, with Ravindra taking 4-27 as the home side slumped while chasing. Theekshana and Chameera each took three wickets as New Zealand’s bowlers tightened after watching the first innings; Santner said the more the bowlers bowled the more the pitch turned and that seam bowling was "quite nice and effective. "
New Zealand’s dominant display powers big win
The 61-run victory followed a match that "didn't bring as much drama as a Super 8s match-up normally would, " but it still featured a decisive middle-order recovery and disciplined bowling. Santner reflected on his own captain’s knock, noting he was unhappy with "four off 10" in the previous game but that when you can get in and give yourself time you can cash in; "to hit 160 was nice, " he said.
New Zealand National Cricket Team Vs England Cricket Team Match Scorecard
What should England do about Jos Buttler? The question was raised in the build-up to the next opponents Santner named: "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. " The team now turns attention to that quick turnaround after beating Sri Lanka in Colombo.
Reaction from Sri Lanka captain and match wrap
Dasun Shanaka called the result "embarrassing to disappoint the home crowd, they've been very supportive, " saying Sri Lanka had started well but the partnership between Santner and McConchie "was a really good one that took the game away from us. " Shanaka added the decision to bat was collective, they hadn’t expected the pitch to turn so much, and they had wanted to restrict New Zealand to 130 but had to give them credit. He said: "One more game, we need to finish on a high so hopefully we can have our best game. "
Sam Drury produced a report that invites readers to relive New Zealand's stunning 61-run victory, noting the match details and the partnership that decided the game. The coverage described Ravindra’s four-wicket haul, the twin three-wicket spells from Theekshana and Chameera, and the mid-innings recovery that set the platform for New Zealand’s bowlers to finish the job.
It didn’t bring the usual Super 8s drama, but the result was clear: New Zealand 168-7; Sri Lanka 107-8 chasing 169 — a 61-run win.
For fans wanting more action, the day’s live-text schedule continues with West Indies taking on South Africa at 09: 30 GMT and India facing Zimbabwe at 13: 30 GMT tomorrow.
