The Blackcaps achieved a convincing 5-wicket win over Sri Lanka in a round-robin fixture held at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday.
In a crucial match for New Zealand, where a victory was necessary to enhance their chances of reaching the semifinals of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, the Blackcaps achieved a convincing 5-wicket win over Sri Lanka in a round-robin fixture held at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday, November 9. This triumph has effectively secured their spot in the semifinals against India, although Pakistan and Afghanistan still have a mathematical chance of qualifying. To surpass the Kiwis on the net run rate (NRR), they would need to win by a significant margin.
Having won the toss, the Kiwis opted to field first. Although Tim Southee (1/52) claimed the initial wicket, it was Trent Boult who set the tone by taking three wickets during the powerplay (3/37), causing Sri Lanka to stumble and struggle to recover. Lockie Ferguson (2/35), Mitchell Santner (2/22), and Rachin Ravindra (2/21) also contributed to the wicket tally for New Zealand. Sri Lanka was eventually bowled out for 171 runs in 46.4 overs, with Kusal Perera leading their scoring with an impressive 51 off 28 deliveries.
Here is the updated World Cup 2023 points table:
While a run chase of 172 was expected to be easy for the strong Kiwi batting order, any potential hiccups were eliminated with a brisk 86-run partnership in just 13 overs. However, Sri Lanka quickly removed both openers, causing a slight setback. Despite this, the 1996 World Cup winners managed to send half of the Kiwi side back to the pavilion. Nevertheless, it was a straightforward victory for New Zealand, with 160 balls remaining.
The openers, Devon Conway (45 off 42) and Rachin Ravindra (42 off 34), made significant contributions to the team's success. Daryl Mitchell also played a crucial role with his 43 off 31. Glenn Phillips (17 off 10) and Tom Latham (2* off 2) finished off the match, securing the win for New Zealand. This victory puts them in a favorable position for a potential rematch of the 2019 semifinal, this time at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on November 15 (Wednesday).
READ| NZ vs SL: New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by 5 wickets to keep semis hope alive, Pakistan out of the race?
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