T20 WC: All-round shows from Rachin, Santner take NZ close to semis; co-hosts SL eliminated

Colombo [Sri Lanka], February 25 (ANI): Fantastic all-round performances by Rachin Ravindra and skipper Mitchell Santner powered New Zealand to a 61-run win over Sri Lanka in their ICC T20 World Cup clash at Colombo on Wednesday, knocking out the co-hosts out of the competition.
With this win, New Zealand, who earlier had earned one point after a washout against Pakistan, are now in second spot with three points and have a chance to move to the semifinals, with their final Super Eight clash against semifinalists England being important.
NZ's closest competitor is Pakistan, which would reach three points if they happen to beat Sri Lanka in their final Super Eight clash. If Kiwis lose their final Super Eight clash and Pakistan win theirs, the net-run-rate would decide who gets the second semifinal spot from the group. Sri Lanka, having lost both their games, is eliminated from the competition.
In the run-chase of 169 runs, Matt Henry delivered a big jolt to Sri Lanka, hitting Pathum Nissanka's middle-stump and sending him back on the first ball of the innings. He also started the third over by removing Charith Asalanka for five, leaving SL at 6/2 in 2.1 overs.
Kusal Mendis and Pavan Rathnayake were timid for the remainder of the powerplay, ending the six overs at 20/2, collecting just 14 runs in the next 3.5 overs after Asalanka's wicket.
This cautious approach did not let them take off at all as Rachin Ravindra cleaned up Kusal (11) and Pavan (10) in the ninth over. SL was 29/4 in 8.2 overs.
Halfway through their innings, Sri Lanka was 45/4, reaching the 50-run mark in 11.4 overs, but had lost their skipper, Dasun Shanaka to Rachin before that. NZ was 46/5 in 10.3 overs.
While Dunith Wellalage and Kamindu gathered a few boundaries, Rachin was making merry, getting his fourth wicket, removing Dushan Hemalatha for just three runs. SL was 59/6 in 12.2 overs.
Spinners continued to dominate the Lankans, as they were restricted to 107/8 in 20 overs, with Dushmantha Chameera (7*) and Maheesh Theekshana (1*) unbeaten.
Rachin (4/27) was the pick of the bowlers for the Kiwis. Henry (2/3) delivered a sensational two overs. Glenn Phillips and skipper Mitch Santner got a wicket each.
Earlier, a record-breaking partnership between Cole McConchie and skipper Mitchell Santner guided New Zealand to a modest total of 168/7 in their 20 overs.
Left down at 84/6 in 12.1 overs at one point, it was McConchie and Santner who dug the Kiwis out of the hole, giving them the biggest partnership for the seventh wicket or lower in T20 World Cup history by any team, outdoing Michael Hussey and Steve Smith's 74-run stand against Bangladesh at Bridgetown in the 2010 edition of the tournament.
Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to field first.
Finn Allen gave the Kiwis a quick start, smashing Dunith Wellalage for three fours in the second over. However, by the fifth over, Maheesh Theekshana and Dushmanta Chameera put NZ on backfoot by removing Allen (23 in 13 balls, with three fours and a six) and Tim Seifert (8). NZ was 34/2 in 4.2 overs.
Kiwis ended the powerplay at 44/2 in six overs.
Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra attempted to build a partnership, but Chameera pushed them back again, cleaning up Phillips through the gates for a run-a-ball 18. NZ was 75/3 in 9.3 overs.
The Kiwis' downslide continued in Theekshana's 12th over as he removed Rachin (32 in 22 balls, with three fours and a six) and Mark Chapman (0), reducing SL to 84/5 in 11.4 overs.
Dunith Wellalage got the best of Daryl Mitchell (3), with the latter leaving just enough bat-pad gap for the spinner to strike. Kiwis were at 84/6 in 12.1 overs.
In the 16th over, McConchie swept Charith Asalanka for a four, breaking a 33-ball boundary drought. In the next over by Chameera, he made a counter-attack, striking two sixes in the first two deliveries and ending the over with a four past backward point, bringing the 100-run mark in 16.1 overs. 18 runs came off that over.
The next over was even more productive, with skipper Santner hitting a four and following it with two sixes against Theekshana over deep mid-wicket, bringing 21 more runs. The 50-run stand came in 34 balls.
Dilshan Madhushanka's 19th over went for 19 runs as well, with Santner-McConchie pair collecting a four and six each. In the final over, Chameera conceded a four and six from Santner, but cleaned him up for a 26-ball 47 (with two fours and four sixes) on the final ball.
Theekshana (3/30) and Chameera (3/38) were the top bowlers for Sri Lanka.
Brief Scores: New Zealand: 168/7 (Mitchell Santner 47, Rachin Ravindra 32, Maheesh Theekshana 3/30) beat Sri Lanka: 107/8 (Kamindu Mendis 31, Dunith Wellalage 29, Rachin Ravindra 4/27). (ANI)