New Zealand thump Sri Lanka with 5-wicket win

New Zealand showed a dominating performance as they thumped Sri Lanka with a five-wicket victory in the 41st game of the World Cup in Bengaluru.

The Blackcaps overtook the meager target of 172 runs losing five wickets keeping huge 26.2 overs in hand at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday.

After that win, New Zealand have almost qualify for the semifinals as they are well ahead by net run rate (NRR). Pakistan and Afghanistan, the two other competitors for the race of the last four, will have to win their next matches with huge margin to overtake New Zealand in terms of NRR.

In reply to 171, two Kiwi openers Devon Conway, 45 runs from 42 balls, and Rachin Ravindra, 42 runs from 34 balls, came with strong hands and made the foundation of an easy win providing 86 runs together.

After that, New Zealand lost couple of wickets in a span of two runs but that was not any matter for them as they were chasing a poor total.

All-rounder Daryl Mitchell's 31-ball 43 in the middle ensured the easy and huge win for the Blackcaps over Sri Lanka.

Anelo Mathews got the highest two wickets for Sri Lanka while Dushmantha Chameera and Maheesh Theekshana got one wicket each.

Earlier, Sri Lanka were bundled out for just 171 runs being completely rattled by New Zealand's bowling attack.

Being asked to bat, Sri Lanka were quickly scoring runs around the ground with the stormy strikes by Kusal Perera but also losing wickets at the same speed.

They lost their five batters within 70 runs after 9.3 overs as no other batters could accelerate like Perera who picked up 51 runs from just 28 balls hitting two sixes and nine fours.

Falling off quick wickets slowed down their run rate, and Sri Lanka kept falling under pressure, putting them into a collapse.

At one stage they gifted their nine wickets on 128 runs after 32.1 overs.  Sri Lanka then made a 43-run stand in the last wicket between Maheesh Theekshana, 38 runs from 91 balls, and Dilshan Madushanka, 19 runs from 48 balls, and somehow managed to cross the 170 mark losing all of their wickets.

Trent Boult took the highest three wickets for New Zealand while each of Lockie Ferguson, Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra got two.

Playing XIs

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis(w/c), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka

New Zealand: Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson(c), Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tom Latham(w), Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult

EM