New Delhi: Sri Lanka produced one of the biggest results of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 as they defeated defending champions New Zealand by five wickets in a tense Group B match at The Rose Bowl, Southampton, on Tuesday.
Chasing 151, Sri Lanka reached 153 for 5 in 19.4 overs, sealing victory with just two balls to spare. The result was historic for Sri Lanka, as it marked their first win over New Zealand in the Women’s T20 World Cup after seven previous defeats.
The centrepiece of the chase was Nilakshika de Silva’s unbeaten 54 off 37 balls. Batting at No. 6, the 36 year old senior player walked in when Sri Lanka were under pressure and changed the course of the match with calm but attacking batting. She was later named Player of the Match.
Sri Lanka had started strongly through captain Chamari Athapaththu and Vishmi Gunaratne, who added 45 runs for the opening wicket. Athapaththu scored a quick 27 off 19 balls, but New Zealand hit back sharply. By the ninth over, Sri Lanka had slipped to 55 for 4, giving the defending champions a strong opening.
Nilakshika then rebuilt the innings with Kavisha Dilhari. The pair added a crucial half century stand in just 39 balls, with Nilakshika doing most of the scoring. After Kavisha was dismissed, wicketkeeper Kaushani Nuthyangana kept the chase alive with an unbeaten 24 off 14 balls. Her late boundaries helped Sri Lanka cross the line in the final over.
Earlier, New Zealand posted 150 for 6 in their 20 overs. Captain Amelia Kerr and Sophie Devine scored 45 each, but the rest of the batting line up could not build enough momentum. Sri Lanka’s bowlers shared the wickets well, with Kavisha Dilhari taking two wickets. Mitali Ayodhya, Chamari Athapaththu, Sugandika Kumari and Nimasha Meepage also picked up one wicket each.
The defeat has left New Zealand under pressure in Group B after back to back losses. They had earlier gone down to West Indies by seven wickets. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have revived their campaign after losing their opening match to England by 87 runs.
For Sri Lanka, this win is more than two points. It gives their campaign belief, breaks a long World Cup barrier against New Zealand, and opens up Group B at an early stage of the tournament.