New Zealand ticked one big box with a convincing win over Sri Lanka, but Rachin Ravindra made it clear the job is far from done. A semi-final place is now within reach and the Black Caps all-rounder has warned against taking England lightly in their final Super 8 clash.
Speak after New Zealand win in Colombo by 61 runsRavindra emphasized that momentum alone would not be enough for their next challenge. With England already through to the semi-finals after winning both matches, New Zealand must now avoid defeat to remain firmly on course for elimination.
NZ vs SL T20 WORLD CUP 2026: MAIN | SCORECARD
“You’re always confident going into these games, especially when we know what the surface is going to be like, but it would be foolish to underestimate England at any point. They are such a quality unit and they showed how well they bowled. They have world-class batsmen throughout their order. We’ll be confident from today but we’ll realize in two days it’s a different challenge,” Rachin said.
He also acknowledged the significance of beating Sri Lanka in home conditions.
“It’s a great achievement to beat Sri Lanka in Colombo. We know how strong they are here and I’m extremely proud of the fight the group put up,” he added.
The win moved New Zealand into second place in Group 2 with three points from two matches after losing their opening match against Pakistan. While the result strengthened their position, Ravindra insisted that England’s depth in both batting and bowling made them a dangerous opponent regardless of the order.
HOW CAN NEW ZEALAND CLOSE THE SEMI-FINALS
New Zealand’s win left Pakistan needing a few results to stay alive in the competition. Pakistan need to beat Sri Lanka and hope that England beat New Zealand in the Super 8 final.
Even that may not be enough as pure run rate may come into play depending on how the finals play out. With England already assured of qualification, New Zealand’s fate remains largely in their own hands – a win against England would guarantee them progress.
Avoiding defeat could also be enough, depending on Pakistan’s result and the margin involved. But Ravindra’s message was clear – relying on permutations is not the preferred path.
HOW RACHIN RAVINDRA ROTATED SRI LANKA
Sri Lanka’s chase of 169 never really got going after Pathum Nissanka was dismissed by Matt Henry for a golden duck. The innings fell apart quickly and Ravindra was instrumental in the collapse.
He struck with his very first delivery, removing Kusal Mendis, and followed it up by leaving Pavan Rathnayake stumped. The left-arm spinner continued to dismantle the middle order by dismissing Dasun Shanak and Dushan Hemanth.
Ravindra finished with impressive figures of 4 for 27, leaving Sri Lanka reeling at 59 for 6. Although Kamindu Mendis offered some resistance with a steady 31, Mitchell Santner stepped up the pressure from the other end.
Sri Lanka eventually managed just 107 for 8 from their 20 overs, giving New Zealand a comprehensive victory and a strong push towards the semi-finals – with one final hurdle in England.
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– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
February 26, 2026
