Sri Lanka secured their first win of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, edging past defending champions New Zealand by five wickets in Southampton. Nilakshi de Silva’s unbeaten 54 guided the chase of 150/6 with one ball left. Captain Chamari Athapaththu called it a “must-win” but stressed consistency, praising improved fielding while noting batting and bowling still need work.

Southampton: Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu described her side's five-wicket win over defending champions New Zealand as a "must-win" result but insisted there is no room for complacency despite defeating one of the favourites for the Women's T20 World Cup title.

Nilakshi de Silva scored an unbeaten 54, and Kaushani Nuthyangana made a steady 24 not out as Sri Lanka chased down New Zealand's 150/6 with one ball left. This marked their first victory of the tournament.

Athapaththu emphasised the importance of this result for Sri Lanka's chances in the competition. She commended her batting team for sticking to their plans under pressure. "I think it's a good win. It was a must-win game for us, or we would not have had a chance. As a team and batting unit, we executed our plans well. Nilakshi played excellently today. Kaushani is not in her best form, but she contributed well alongside Nilakshi."

Sri Lanka's win not only relied on de Silva's crucial knock but also on solid fielding. They kept New Zealand to 150/6 after the White Ferns looked set for a much higher score. Kavisha Dilhari led the bowling with figures of 2 for 35, while the fielders made several sharp plays.