Rachin Ravindra stars as New Zealand eliminates co-hosts Sri Lanka from 2026 T20 World Cup

New Zealand kept their semi-final dreams alive and effectively defeated the co-hosts Sri Lanka from the T20 World Cup 2026 with an impressive 61-run win in Colombo on February 25, 2026. The hero of the evening was Rachin Ravindrawhose all-round brilliance turned a precarious situation into a dominant victory at the R. Premadasa Stadium. This victory strengthens New Zealand‘s Net Run Rate significantly as they head into a crucial final Super 8 match England. For Sri Lanka, a second consecutive Super 8 defeat ends their home season with heartbreak, confirming their elimination from the tournament.

Mitchell Santner and Cole McConchie save New Zealand after Maheesh Theekshana’s triple strike

New Zealand’s innings was a tale of two halves, recovering from a terrible middle-order collapse to a formidable 168/7 on a challenging surface in Colombo. After opting to bowl, Sri Lanka seized control early Mahesh Theekshanawhich produced a great 3/30 spell and removed the dangerous Find Allen (23) and Mark Kapman for a duck.

Rachin Ravindra looked elegant on his 32 off 22 balls, providing some stability, but when Dushmanta Chameera rejected Glenn Phillips (18), the Black Caps were staring at an under-par total of 84/6 in the 13th over. However, the game changed dramatically during an 84-run seventh-wicket partnership between Mitchell Santner And Cole McConchiewho plundered 70 runs in the last four overs alone. Santner played a captain’s knock, hitting 47 off just 26 balls, with four huge sixes targeting the shorter boundaries down the leg side.

McConchie provided perfect support with an unbeaten 31, keeping the momentum firmly established as New Zealand headed to the break. The carnage in the late overs left the Sri Lankan bowlers looking shell-shocked as they gave up a position of absolute dominance to concede a total well above the ground’s average score in the first innings.

Also WATCH: T20 World Cup 2026: Maheesh Theekshana makes up for an earlier mistake with a stunning catch to remove Finn Allen during SL vs NZ Super 8 clash

Rachin Ravindra’s four-wicket haul crushes Sri Lanka’s 2026 T20 World Cup hopes in Colombo

New Zealand defended 168 and produced a clinical bowling performance to bowl out Sri Lanka for just 107, with Rachin proving to be the architect of the collapse. The chase started disastrously for the co-hosts Matt Henry DELETED Pathum Nissanka on the very first ball of the innings, followed by the dismissal of Charith Asalanka to leave the hosts at 6/2.

Ravindra then took center stage with his orthodox left-arm spin, claiming a sensational 4/27 to rip the heart out of the Sri Lankan middle order. He removed first Where in Mendi (11) and Pavan Rathnayake (10) in the same over, both beaten by the flight and the turn before being expertly punched by Tim Seifert. Ravindra continued his rampage by sacking the captain Dasun Shanaka And Dushan Hemanthaeffectively ending any realistic chance of a comeback for the home side.

Despite a fighting 31 out Kamindu Mendis and a late 29 from Dunith Wellalagethe required run rate rose past 15, forcing the batters into desperate shots that resulted in a flurry of wickets. Santner ended his brilliant day by removing the Kamindu Mendis set Glenn Phillips polished off the tail to seal the 61-point victory. The victory puts New Zealand two points higher Pakistansetting up an exciting final for Group 2 as Sri Lanka becomes the first team to be officially eliminated from the Super 8 stage.

Here’s how fans reacted:

Why would Sri Lanka win the toss and choose to play RPS Colombo? After failing to chase down 146 against England in the last match?

If the team has lost confidence in chasing, the batting looks vulnerable and the pitch is up for grabs, why chase again?

Had this question asked during…

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) February 25, 2026

😉😉😉😉 https://t.co/7j3eODIqJF

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 25, 2026

Huge momentum shift in the game. Great late rally from the Kiwis, which makes Sri Lanka a tough target in my opinion. 169 certainly 25 too many on this surface.

— Roshan Abeysinghe (@RoshanCricket) February 25, 2026

Sri Lanka has literally been at minnow level since 2015. It is sad to see that the land that once produced species like Sangakkara, Jayawardene, Malinga, Jayasuriya, Dilshan, Vaas etc. is now languishing at the bottom of the barrel.

— yang goi (@GongR1ght) February 25, 2026

IF:
-Pakistan beats Sri Lanka with better NRR
– And NZ lost to England

Pakistan will sneak into the semi-finals.
But this will not happen because we have full confidence in Pakistan.

— Farrago Abdullah Parody (@abdullah_0mar) February 25, 2026

NZ made sure that the following things –
-Pakistan out of the World Cup
-No semi-finals and finals in Sri Lanka

— Sunil the cricketer (@1sInto2s) February 25, 2026

Sri Lanka to Pakistan: We will drown, we will drown with you too

Lanka out of this World Cup. Pakistan is almost out. #SLvsNZ #ICCT20WorldCup

— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) February 25, 2026

New Zealand have thrown Sri Lanka out of the T20 World Cup and put Pakistan on the brink of an exit.
Fans can now buy tickets for the two semi-finals in Kolkata and Mumbai and then for the final in Ahmedabad.

— Rahul Rawat (@rawatrahul9) February 25, 2026

Victory in Colombo💥

Matt Henry set the tone with 2-3 from his 2 overs while Rachin Ravindra took 4-27 from his 4 overs 🔥

📷 = ICC/Getty#SLvNZ #T20World Cup pic.twitter.com/VlGbcNBdfu

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) February 25, 2026

RACHIN RAVINDRA STEALS THE SHOW 🌟🇳🇿🔥

Won POTM for a match-winning all-round display 🏆💥

32 off 22 with the bat 🏏⚡ 4 overs • 27 runs • 4 wickets 🎯🔥#T20World Cup 2026 #RachinRavindra #srilanka #Cricket #NewZealand #T20World Cup pic.twitter.com/k5tJTjflJT

— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) February 25, 2026

READ also: T20 World Cup 2026: Here’s why James Neesham and Kamil Mishara won’t play today’s SL vs NZ Super 8 match