A counterattacking 80-run partnership for the seventh wicket between captain Mitchell Santner and Cole McChonchie guided New Zealand to a 61-run win that knocked host Sri Lanka out of the Twenty20 World Cup.

Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka won the toss and elected to bowl, and New Zealand reached a competitive 168-7 thanks to Santner’s 47 runs off 26 deliveries and McConchie’s 31 off 23 deliveries,s which salvaged the innings.

Sri Lanka could score 107-8 in reply.
The Sri Lankan bowlers had restricted New Zealand to 84-6 and had their opponents at 90-6 after 15 overs when the No. 7 pair started counterattacking. McChonchie scored 18 runs in the 17th over, bowled by fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera, and spinner Maheesh Theekshana conceded 21, including two wides, in the 18th.

When Santner was out in the last ball, the pair had added 80 runs off 43 deliveries.

Santner hit four sixes and two boundaries while McChonchie hit two sixes and three boundaries.

Chameera and Theekshana took three wickets each.

New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry bowled opener Pathum Nissanka in the first ball,l and Charith Asalanka, who had been recalled for the match, soon departed to Sri Lanka 6-2.

Then the spinners tightened the screws by bowling slow through the air, nd curtailing runs, and taking wickets when the batters tried to attack.

Left-arm spinner Rachin Ravindra took a career-best 4-27 while Henry took two wickets for three runs.

KaminduMendis scoredd for Sri Lanka with 31.

The game was a must-win for Sri Lanka to have any hope of reaching the semifinals after losing to England in its Group 2 opener.