Colombo, February 26: New Zealand secured a convincing victory against Sri Lanka in the Super-8 match of the T20 World Cup 2026, winning by 61 runs. Rachin Ravindra was the standout performer, taking 8 wickets for just 27 runs at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Wednesday. Earlier, he contributed 32 runs off 22 balls, hitting four boundaries, earning him the title of ‘Player of the Match’.
Batting first, New Zealand posted a total of 168 runs while losing 7 wickets. In response, Sri Lanka struggled, managing only 107 runs for the loss of 8 wickets. This victory keeps New Zealand’s hopes for the semifinals alive. A win in their next match against England will secure their spot in the knockout stage.
Expressing his joy over the win, the 26-year-old Rachin Ravindra stated, “Victories like this are always satisfying, especially when playing good cricket in the opponent’s home conditions. Sri Lanka deserves credit; they are particularly strong at home. Overall, it was nearly a perfect performance for us. It was fantastic to see contributions from the entire team.”
This marks the second time New Zealand has bowled 17 overs of spin in T20 cricket, having done so previously against India in Lucknow in 2023.
Rachin added, “It became clear that slower speeds were more effective. Before our match against Pakistan, we analyzed data on bowling speeds below 85 kilometers per hour and the turn available on the pitch. Who better to understand this than our captain Mitchell Santner, a master of this craft? As a spin group, we discussed and decided that maintaining a slower pace was better. Mahesh Deekshana’s off-spin and slower deliveries clearly showed that there was grip on the pitch.”
After his impressive performance, Rachin emphasized, “The most important thing for me is contributing to the team. Batting in the top three and being able to bowl some overs enhances the team’s balance. In these conditions, I tend to bowl a bit more than at home. It feels good to contribute with the ball, even if my batting day isn’t great, and vice versa.”
Rachin also praised the Sri Lankan fans, saying, “The Sri Lankan crowd was amazing. Hearing the national anthem and those small moments remind you why you play this game. There was a moment when they were chanting ‘New Zealand-New Zealand’; that was truly special. It’s for moments like these that you want to play on big stages. They deserve all the credit for showing up in large numbers whenever Sri Lanka plays.”
