T20 World Cup: Santner, Ravindra dazzle as New Zealand knock Sri Lanka out of semi-final race

Right then! Sri Lanka are out of this competition, out of the semi-final race. New Zealand are closer to a place in the semi-final. They meet England in their next game and that will decide their fate in the tournanent. Pakistan will too have an eye on thgat game. For now, it's good night. Thank you so much for joining us at FE Sports. The sporting caravan never really stops and that means we will see you soon.

"Yeah, I think it was obviously a nice score there there with the amount of spin with the ball. They squeezed us a lot. I think we lost three wickets on 84, which is never ideal, but I think the longer we could stay in, me and Cole were thinking, we'll try to get to 140, but that kind of sets it up for the last two or three overs and I guess 160 was not bad from there," winning captain Mitchell Santner.

"Yeah, from our team last game I was really happy with. Yeah, I think it's kind of one of those wickets where if you get in and give yourself a little bit of time, you can kind of cash in and I guess me and Cole were thinking the same. It was obviously pretty tough to stay out there," the left-arm spinner mentioned in his interaction with the broadcaster.

"So to get 160 was nice and then with the ball, we kind of knew what we had to do with, you know, I guess watching the whole first innings. (on McConchie) Yeah, I mean, it's also, it looked like a pretty good wicket. It probably spun more than we both thought, both teams thought," he added.

"So I think with those, with the big side as the spinner, you can kind of control your lengths and then you get hit to the big side with the ball spinning in like that. So, yeah, you know, it's fantastic for Cole. Like I said, a bit of a nervy start with me and him at the crease there," the southpaw continued.

"Three off 10 each probably. But then, you know, it was just the longer we could take it, then we kind of took it quite deep, which was nice. (on Rachin) Yeah, I think the stats say, you know, I guess we've watched a few games here, whether it's been Super 8 or the, you know, the before. It's kind of been the side you bowl a lot more kind of spins. And I guess I don't need a second invitation of old my slow, so it was quite nice. But yeah, I think on the scene was quite nice, quite effective. (on the game against England) They're outstanding, obviously. We know that. Quick turnaround for us. Again, we'll see kind of what pitch we're on. We play something similar. It might be a bit of a slug-fest as well," he concluded.

Rachin Ravindra is the Player of the Match.

"You know, it is very embarrassing to disappoint the home crowd. You know, they've been very supportive. It's, you know, we started really well, but to be honest, the Santner-McConchie and that partnership, it was a good one, which took the game away from us. See, we wanted to restrict them around 130, but, you know, our best bowlers bowling at the given time, to be honest, they played really well, so we must give the credit to Mitchell Santner and Cole. (on Kusal Mendis) Yeah, he came to the game with the issue," Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka said at the post match presentation.

"He's a key player for us, but you know, it's that kind of a day nobody got that start for us. (on the pitch) Yeah, I thought the wicket might settle a bit since it's a new pitch, but the way they bowled, the areas which we didn't bowl, I mean the Sri Lankan bowlers, yes, we bowled occasionally, but not all the time we hit in that lane, but we must give credit to New Zealand bowlers, which they, you know, executed really well tonight," he added.

"(on the last game) Absolutely, one more game, we need to finish it high, yeah, hopefully we'll do our best game in that game. (what do you need to do better?) Of course, the batsmen will need to take a little responsibility at the top and you know we can't rely on one or two best men in a game, so all the batters need to take the positive option. Yes, if you get out taking the positive option, you can be, you know, at least you can be relaxed once you come to the dugout, but here it is not the thing, we don't take the chances and it is T20 cricket, you need to show the intent a little bit more," he stated.

New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by 61 runs in Super 8 clash! Sri Lanka are officially out of semi-final race.

Wellalage tries the slog sweep, can't clear deep square leg. He gets out for 29, SL- 105/8 in 19/4 overs.

Sri Lanka need 65 runs in 6 balls. That means Henry, Ravindra and Santner remain the three wicket-takers for the Kiwis in this innings with Phillips bowling the final over.

Sri Lanka need 69 runs in 12 balls. Formalities remain as Dunith Wellalage and Dushmantha Chameera are batting in the middle. SL- 100/7 after 18 overs.

Another one falls for Sri Lanka.

Mitchell Santner fires in a flat delivery on a good length around middle. Kamindu Mendis rocks back, looking to pull it over the leg side, but doesn’t quite get the distance.

It goes high towards deep mid-wicket where Glenn Phillips is stationed near the fence. He tracks back calmly, settles under it, and completes a comfortable reverse-cup catch.

Phillips rises with a smile, job done.

Kamindu Mendis c Glenn Phillips b Mitchell Santner 31 (23).

SL- 77/7 after 15 overs.

Game seems like over for Sri Lanka for all practical purposes. They need 98 runs in 36 balls. Required run rat at this stage well over 16.

Rachin Ravindra is running through them!

He keeps it wide of off once again, dragging Dushan Hemantha into the shot. Hemantha has to really reach for it, never quite in control, and there’s no timing or power behind the stroke.

The ball hangs in the air just long enough to give the fielder time. Mitchell charges in from long-on and pulls off a fine running catch to complete the dismissal.

Four wickets for Ravindra, a stunning spell and Sri Lanka are in deep trouble.

Dushan Hemantha c Mitchell b Ravindra 3 (6).

Sri Lanka- 59/6 in 12.2 overs.

Ravindra is on fire!

Ironically, this wasn’t a threatening delivery at all, a short, wide long hop outside off. Dasun Shanaka sees the width and throws his hands at it, looking to muscle it through the off-side.

But the ball grips slightly in the surface, takes a thick outside edge and balloons into the air.

Finn Allen at backward point keeps his eyes locked on it and completes a safe catch.

Three wickets for Ravindra, and Sri Lanka are sinking fast.

Dasun Shanaka c Allen b Ravindra 3 (5). The Sri Lankan captain couldn't produce an innings like his Kiwi skipper did earlier in this match. SL now reduced to 46/5 in 10.3 overs.

This is turning into Ravindra’s over.

He sticks to that teasing wide line outside off, tossing it up and inviting the charge. Pavan Rathnayake takes the bait, comes dancing down the track but he’s nowhere near the pitch of the ball.

It turns away sharply, beating the outstretched bat, and Tim Seifert does the rest. Clean gather, quick hands, bails off in a flash. Unlike the previous dismissal, this one is straightforward, Rathnayake is stranded miles down the pitch.

Two wickets in two balls for Ravindra, both via stumping. New Zealand are well and truly on top.

Pavan Rathnayake st Seifert b Rachin Ravindra 10 (18). Surely, NZ's game to lose from here. SL- 29/4 in 8.2 overs.

That’s a superb dismissal.

Rachin Ravindra tosses it up slower and wider, extracting extra turn and bounce. Kusal Mendis charges out, looking to slash it away, but he’s completely beaten by the dip and the bounce, the ball climbs over the bat.

Tim Seifert is outstanding behind the stumps. He moves swiftly to his right, gathers cleanly and then breaks the stumps in one smooth motion despite having ground to cover.

Mendis tries desperately to drag his foot back, but his right leg is still in the air when the bails light up.

Kusal Mendis st Seifert b Rachin Ravindra 11 (22), 1 four.

Santner played an absolute gem of an innings with the bat. Surely a contender for the Player of the Match recognition if the Kiwis register a win.

Captain to the rescue! 💪

Mitchell Santner's power-hitting pushes New Zealand's fightback.

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Sri Lanka, the co-hosts and the home team in this match, find themselves in massive pressure in this run chase after those twin strikes from Matt Henry. They are 20/2 after 6 overs. They need 149 runs from 84 balls.

Neatly executed by Kusal Mendis. Santner drifts it in and Mendis reads it early. He shuffles inside the line, uses the incoming angle to his advantage and just helps it on its way.

The ball races fine, backward of square on the leg side, all about timing and placement rather than power.

Matt Henry is on fire early.

After removing a batter with his very first delivery of the innings, he repeats the trick at the start of his second over. Charith Asalanka’s brief stay comes to an end, and Sri Lanka are wobbling.

Seeing Asalanka advance down the pitch, Henry cleverly takes the pace off and bangs it into the surface. The batter is through his shot too early, attempting a cross-batted swipe, but all he can manage is a top-edge.

The ball balloons gently toward mid-wicket where Daryl Mitchell settles underneath and completes a simple catch.

Charith Asalanka c Daryl Mitchell b Matt Henry 5 (9), 1 four.

WOW! Wicket first ball! WHat a start. Henry beats the batter and the middle stump is disturbed. One of Sri Lanka's in form batter in Pathum Nissanka gets out for a golden duck, they are reduced to 0/1 in the first over.

SANTNER YOU BEAUTY!!! He finishes with 47 off 26, takes NZ to 168/7. Might have got out on the last ball but what a captain's knock this from the Kiwi all-rounder, including a SIX and a FOUR in the last over.

This is becoming a standout knock from McConchie.

Madushanka fires in a low full toss outside off. McConchie shuffles across, almost drops to a knee, and cleverly opens the face of the bat.

He slices it fine behind square on the off side. With third man up in the ring, there’s no protection, the ball races away to the boundary.

Smart batting, excellent execution.

The pressure is telling now.

Theekshana, who hadn’t conceded a boundary all evening, is suddenly under the pump. He slips in a high full toss and Santner doesn’t miss out. Standing tall, he swings through the line and sends it soaring toward deep mid-wicket.

It goes high and comfortably clears the ropes.

There’s a brief pause as the umpires check for a possible no-ball, it was close to being above waist height but it’s deemed fair. Six more, and the momentum has decisively swung New Zealand’s way.

New Zealand are surging now.

Theekshana gives it air once more, and Santner is ready. He drops his back knee, lines it up beautifully and unleashes a powerful slog sweep.

It sails high and handsome over deep mid-wicket, the shorter leg-side boundary fully exploited. Clean strike, big statement.

A rare error in the field.

Theekshana bowls this just a touch short. Mitchell Santner rocks back quickly and punches it square on the off side with authority.

Ratnayake covers good ground to his left and even gets a hand to it, but the dive lacks control. The ball pops loose and trickles away into the boundary cushions.

Sri Lanka won’t be pleased, half a chance, full punishment.

What an over for New Zealand, 18 runs from it.

Chameera rolls his fingers across a slower ball, angling it across the right-hander. McConchie backs away to create room and slices the cut square of the wicket.

It beats the dive at backward point, and though Ratnayake races around from sweeper cover, he can’t haul it back in before it kisses the rope.

Momentum firmly with the batter at the moment. NZ- 116/6 after 17 overs. Cole McConchie- 25* off 19, Mitchell Santner- 6* off 12.

That’s the response New Zealand needed.

Chameera steams in and serves up a length ball right in the slot. McConchie clears his front leg, commits to the leg-side swing and lets the bottom hand take over.

He whips it powerfully over deep square leg, clean connection, plenty of distance. A much-needed maximum to keep their goal of posting a formidable total alive.

At last, a release shot. Their first boundary in 33 deliveries, that tells you how tight it’s been.

Charith Asalanka tosses it up and McConchie shuffles across, gets low and nails the sweep. He places it beautifully backward of square, threading the gap between short fine leg and deep backward square.

Much-needed runs, and perhaps a hint of momentum shifting.

Two singles coming off the 15th over. NZ- 90/6 after 15 overs. Mitchell Santner- 3* off 8, Cole McConchie- 3* off 11.

Sri Lanka’s spinners are tightening the screws, and now Dunith Wellalage joins the party.

It’s fired in fuller around off, skidding on rather than turning. Daryl Mitchell leans forward to defend but leaves a sizeable gap between bat and pad. The ball slides straight through that channel and rattles the stumps.

Mitchell drops to his haunches in disbelief, beaten for pace and minimal turn.

Daryl Mitchell b Dunith Wellalage 3 (7).

Sri Lanka- 84/6 in 12.1 overs.

Maheesh Theekshana is weaving a spell here.

This is a beauty, a classic off-break. It pitches around leg stump, grips, turns sharply and climbs just enough to crash into the top of off. Mark Chapman, rooted on the back foot, is completely undone by the drift and bite.

He’s opened up, beaten all ends up, and can only watch the stumps light up behind him.

Mark Chapman b Maheesh Theekshana 0 (2).

Maheesh Theekshana is weaving a spell here.

This is a beauty, a classic off-break. It pitches around leg stump, grips, turns sharply and climbs just enough to crash into the top of off. Mark Chapman, rooted on the back foot, is completely undone by the drift and bite.

He’s opened up, beaten all ends up, and can only watch the stumps light up behind him.

Mark Chapman b Maheesh Theekshana 0 (2).