New Zealand moved into prime position to grab the last ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup semifinal spot with a comfortable five-wicket win over Sri Lanka at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Thursday.
New Zealand (10 points) moved to sole fourth on the table, two points ahead of Pakistan and Afghanistan. New Zealand - backed by a superior Net Run Rate - is sitting pretty in this three-team sprint.
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, Full Highlights
The win was made possible primarily by a substandard batting show by Sri Lanka - bundled out for 171. New Zealand finished the chase in only 23.2 overs.
Devon Conway (45, 42b, 9x4) and Rachin Ravindra (42, 34b, 3x4, 3x6) put the Kiwis on the right track with an 86-run opening partnership. Ravindra overtook Quinton de Kock to become the tournament’s highest run-scorer.
Daryl Mitchell kept the momentum high with a breezy 31-ball 43. Sri Lanka, thoroughly outplayed, ended its campaign with a whimper.
It was only rain that could have scuttled New Zealand’s hopes of sealing a knockout berth. The weather stayed kind, however, to ensure a full game.
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, Full Scorecard
Earlier, the Sri Lankan batters displayed poor application to let the team down. Opener Pathum Nissanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama pushed hard at deliveries outside off to offer catches behind the stumps. Captain Kusal Mendis was dismissed in embarrassing fashion - skying a wild pick-up shot to third-man.
The top-order collapse left Sri Lanka at 32 for three in 4.4 overs. Kusal Perera took no half measures, going hard at loose balls to record a 28-ball 51. Charith Asalanka was the fourth to go, trapped on the pads by a Trent Boult inswinger.
Angelo Mathews (16) and Dhananjaya de Silva (19) lunged forward to left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner. Sharp turn got the better of the batters, keeping Mitchell at slip interested.
The end was nigh when Sri Lanka was stranded at 113 for eight in 23.3 overs. Tailenders Maheesh Theekshana (38 n.o., 91b), Dushmantha Chameera (1, 20b) and Dilshan Madushanka (19, 48b) battled hard to stall New Zealand’s march.
The trio did a commendable job to hang around for 23.2 overs. Theekshana and Madushanka - reliant more on grit than skill - recorded their best ODI scores.
The late repair job, however, could not prevent a seventh Sri Lankan loss.
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