New Zealand defeated Sri Lanka by 65 runs in Sydney on Saturday, putting them in the driver’s seat to advance to the Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals. Glenn Phillips hit 104 and Trent Boult took four wickets.
Phillips was unstoppable, saving his team after the top order was blasted away, losing Finn Allen, Doug Conway, and Kane Williamson for 15 runs. New Zealand batted first and scored 167/7.
Boult and Tim Southee then reduced Sri Lanka to 4/8 in the chase, and they were unable to recover as they were dismissed for 102. Boult attained a career-high 4/13 in the end.
In his 64-ball innings, Phillips smashed ten fours and four sixes; it was the second century of the tournament, following Rilee Rossouw’s 109 against Bangladesh, and only the eleventh in T20 World Cup history.
“Incredible, any hundred is incredible, but the way he pushed hard and applied pressure on the opposition after our sluggish start was just remarkable,” said captain Williamson. “The boys carried out the plans exceptionally effectively.”
It was “totally indescribable,” according to Phillips, to score a century in the World Cup.
He said, “I strive to entertain as much as possible, and today it worked out wonderfully.”
After both matches in Melbourne on Friday — Australia vs. England and Afghanistan vs. Ireland — were rained off, Group One was wide open.
The victory provides New Zealand a two-point cushion and a superior run rate over England, Ireland, and Australia with two games remaining.
They face a crucial match against England in Brisbane on Tuesday, but Sri Lanka must defeat Afghanistan on the same day to maintain their aspirations.
“Glenn Phillips deserves credit for his amazing performance. We also missed some catches. With their bowling assault, 160 is always a challenge “said Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka.
We still have a possibility of qualifying if we win a few races, so we’re looking forward to that.
Got worse
After losing the toss, Sri Lanka opened with Maheesh Theekshana’s spin, which instantly paid benefits.
Allen dismantled Australia’s revered pace attack during a 16-ball 42 in their first match, but he managed only three balls and one run this time due to an inswinger in the second over.
Conway, who scored 92 not out against Australia, performed poorly. Conway was also out for one as spinner Dhananjaya de Silva joined the attack.
The situation deteriorated when captain Williamson (8) was caught behind off the fast bowler Kasun Rajitha in the following over.
Phillips and Daryl Mitchell, who had returned to the team after breaking his hand, crept to 54-3 at the interval.
Phillips then altered his strategy, aided by shoddy fielding, as he was dropped by Pathum Nissanka on 12 and Shanaka on 45.
Mitchell’s 84-run partnership with his partner ended when his companion was bowled for 22 by Wanindu Hasaranga. Mitchell Santner was with him when he reached his second T20 century in the nineteenth over before getting caught in the last over.
Sri Lanka’s chase got off to the worst possible start, losing three wickets for five runs.
Southee opened with a wicketless over, dismissing Nissanka lbw, while his longtime bowling partner Boult contributed two wickets in his first over.
He induced Kusal Mendis to edge to Conway, and then de Silva ran himself out. Charith Asalanka didn’t survive long, as he was caught by a diving Allen as Boult took his third wicket.
Sri Lanka was left in disarray after the introduction of spinner Santner and the dismissal of Chamika Karunaratne by Boult.
Shanaka struck a gutsy 35 and Bhanuka Rajapaksa 34, but to no avail.