NZ thrash Sri Lanka to keep semi-final hopes alive

New Zealand kept their hopes of reaching the Women’s T20 World Cup semi-finals alive with a dominant 102-run win over Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka crumbled to 60 all out in reply to end their own last-four hopes.

The win moves New Zealand up to second in Group 1, but South Africa will replace them and seal a semi-final spot if they beat Bangladesh on Tuesday.

Whoever finishes second in Group 1 is likely to face England, who are already assured of a semi-final place and will progress as Group 2 winners if they avoid defeat in their final game against Pakistan on Tuesday.

New Zealand started aggressively knowing they needed a big win, with opener Bernadine Bezuidenhout smashing 32 from just 20 balls to help the White Ferns reach 47-1 after the powerplay – their best of the tournament so far.

Bezuidenhout’s dismissal brought Kerr to the crease to join Bates and they put on 110 for the second wicket, timing their acceleration perfectly to average nearly 10 an over in the final five overs of the innings and lift New Zealand up to an imposing score.

Sri Lanka also needed to start aggressively to try to keep on top of the run-rate, but that expansive approach led to some risky strokeplay and a flurry of early wickets they did not recover from.

Opener Chamari Athapaththu looked like the only player capable of producing a match-winning innings, but when she departed for 19 from 21 balls Sri Lanka were flailing on 33-4.

Achini Kulasuriya could not bat after sustaining a shoulder injury while bowling so New Zealand only needed to take nine wickets, with Kerr capping a fine all-round display by bowling Malsha Shehani for 10 to seal the win and end with figures of 2-7.

‘I’m loving bowling more than ever before’ – reaction

New Zealand’s player of the match Amelia Kerr: “I guess it was nice to have a performance and get a big win there for the team. It was nice to bat with Suzie [Bates] who is a class act.

“Craig Howard our bowling coach has done a lot of work with us. I’m loving bowling more than ever before and that’s down to him.”

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine: “I wish this was our first game of the tournament but it’s not to be and I stand here today feeling extreme pride.

“For the team, to be able to bounce back the way we did, we’ve given ourselves a chance.”

Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu: “It’s been a tough day in the middle. I think as a bowling unit we needed wickets early. 140 would have been a good score to chase. 160 was not easy. We had to stick to our plans, play our shots.

“Overall, I think the gameplan did not come together. Some players felt the pressure, but they are young. They need some more experience. We only have a few senior players.

“Many of the girls are not experienced enough for this type of this game. If we take on too much pressure the game pans out like that.”