Eng Vs Nz: New Zealand’s dominant Super Eights win over Sri Lanka sets up quick England showdown
With eng vs nz on the horizon, New Zealand delivered a commanding performance in the Super Eights, posting 168-7 before dismissing Sri Lanka for 107-8 in Colombo on February 25, 2026, a 61-run victory that shifts momentum ahead of the next fixtures.
Match summary: 46th Match, Super Eights, Group 2 at Colombo, February 25, 2026
New Zealand finished on 168-7, propelled by Mitchell Santner’s 47 off 26 and Cole McConchie’s 31 off 23. Earlier in their innings, New Zealand had a difficult patch in which they lost three wickets for no runs, slipping to 84-6, before the late recovery that produced a defendable total of 168-7.
Sri Lanka, having won the toss and elected to field first in Colombo, were set 169 to win but were bowled out for 107-8. Ravindra finished with figures of 4-27 as Sri Lanka slumped in the chase.
Key performances that decided the game
Santner’s aggressive 47 off 26 and McConchie’s sensible 31 off 23 anchored New Zealand’s late-innings push to 168-7. On the Sri Lanka side, Ravindra’s four wickets were the standout bowling figures, while Theekshana and Chameera accounted for three wickets between them during the match.
Eng Vs Nz: quick turnaround and captain reactions
New Zealand captain Mitch Santner reflected on the match as a contest shaped by periods where conditions favoured bowlers and spinners. He noted there had been a "nice little period" for his team with the track and the ball, and that losing three wickets on 84 had been far from ideal. Santner said he and Cole McConchie were aiming to get to 140 to set up the final overs, and that reaching around 160 felt a reasonable outcome.
On his own innings he admitted dissatisfaction with a previous four off 10 in the prior game, and explained that when a batter gets time at the crease they can "cash in". He described the surface as tough early on but believed the team knew how to bowl to it after watching the first innings, observing that the pitch looked pretty at the toss, that the more you bowled the more it spun, and that seam bowling had been effective.
Santner also looked ahead to England, calling them "outstanding" and noting the turnaround would be quick. He warned that if New Zealand face something similar to the Colombo surface in the next game, it could become "a bit of a slog-fest".
Sri Lanka response and captain assessment
Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka called the result "embarrassing" for the home crowd, who had been very supportive. He said Sri Lanka started the match well but that the partnership between Santner and McConchie was decisive and took the game away from them. Shanaka described the decision to bat first as a collective call and said the team had not expected the pitch to turn as much as it did. The Sri Lanka skipper added that they had hoped to restrict New Zealand to around 130 but conceded that New Zealand played very well and deserved credit. With one more game remaining, Shanaka said the team needed to finish on a high and hoped to produce their best performance.
Coverage notes, reaction prompts and upcoming fixtures
A match report by Sam Drury relives New Zealand’s 61-run victory and mentions that, while the game did not bring as much drama as a Super 8s match-up normally would, the coverage remained engaging. A separate question raised alongside analysis asked: "What should England do about Jos Buttler?" reflecting attention on England selection and form as the tournament progresses.
Readers were invited to return the following day for more live-text coverage: West Indies take on South Africa at 09: 30 GMT, and India face Zimbabwe at 13: 30 GMT. Those matches round out the immediate live schedule and will continue to shape the Super Eights narrative.
New Zealand’s 61-run win over Sri Lanka in Colombo leaves them with momentum heading into eng vs nz, while Sri Lanka must regroup and aim for a stronger showing in their final Super Eights fixture.
