Witness the thrilling last-over victory as Nilakshika Silva and Nuthyangana lead NZ-W to a sensational win against SL-W. Don’t miss the highlights!
Introduction:
Absolute scenes of jubilation echoed around the Rose Bowl in Southampton as Sri Lanka pulled off a legendary, five-wicket victory over reigning champions New Zealand at the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. In a high-stakes Group 2 encounter played on Tuesday, the island nation rewrote the history books. They tracked down a competitive target of 151 runs with just two balls to spare, registering their first-ever triumph over the White Ferns in tournament history.
The blockbuster match carried massive structural weight for both squads following their respective opening-day defeats. While Sri Lanka bounced back spectacularly, New Zealand’s title defense has been thrown into complete jeopardy after a second successive loss. An outstanding fifth-wicket stand and an even better sixth-wicket partnership electrified a Sri Lanka chase and propelled them to a tight final-over win against New Zealand.
Captains Combine to Build a Decent New Zealand Total
Winning the toss under an overcast English sky, New Zealand opted to bat first on a pitch that had been used earlier in the day. Their innings began with immediate drama as opener Isabella Gaze struck a boundary off her second delivery, only to edge a sharp outswinger behind to a diving Kaushini Nuthyangana just one ball later.
The early blow brought captain Amelia Kerr to the crease, who, alongside Georgia Plimmer, went about stabilizing the innings. The duo batted with positive intent, forging a rapid 49-run partnership for the second wicket to shift the momentum back to the White Ferns. Plimmer contributed a busy 18 off 22 balls before losing her wicket in the ninth over.
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With the run transitions slowing down during the middle overs, Melie Kerr partnered with veteran all-rounder Sophie Devine to launch a brilliant rebuilding phase. Both world-class batters struck 45 runs apiece, putting together a vital 43-run partnership from just 26 balls for the third wicket. Kerr hit five boundaries in her 36-ball effort, while Devine added four boundaries and a massive six before both were caught on the boundary ropes trying to clear the infield. Sri Lanka’s bowlers applied heavy pressure late on, restricting New Zealand to a modest 150 for 6 as Kavisha Dilhari led the attack with excellent figures of 2 for 35.
Top-Order Collapse Threatens to Unravel the Chase
Chasing 151 for a historic victory, Sri Lanka’s response started in flying fashion courtesy of their iconic captain Chamari Athapaththu. Having survived an early scare when she was dropped on seven, the explosive left-hander counter-attacked beautifully, smashing four boundaries and a towering six in a brisk 27 off 19 balls. She shared a solid 45-run opening stand with Vishmi Gunaratne to put Sri Lanka in a comfortable position.
However, Athapaththu’s dismissal at the end of the Powerplay triggered a dramatic and sudden shift in momentum. New Zealand’s bowling unit, spearheaded by young spinner Nensi Patel, seized absolute control of the middle overs by executing perfect tactical lines.
Two costly run-outs and accurate bowling saw Sri Lanka’s top order collapse into deep panic, sliding from 45 without loss to a nervous 55 for 4 inside nine overs. Gunaratne managed 17, while Harshitha Samarawickrama dragged a ball onto her stumps for five, leaving the Asian side staring at a heavy defeat as the required run rate climbed past nine runs per over.
Nilakshika Silva Delivers a Final-Over Masterclass
With the chase seemingly slipping away into chaos, the experienced Nilakshika Silva emerged as the central anchor of the entire match. Having arrived at the crease at 55 for 4, with the required rate soon climbing above nine, she produced her finest international innings – a perfectly-paced 54 not out off 37 that saw Sri Lanka to victory with two balls and five wickets to spare.
Silva first found an able ally in Kavisha Dilhari, as the pair added a vital 50 runs for the fifth wicket to keep the score moving. Even after Dilhari was unfortunately run out for 17 in the 15th over, Silva refused to allow the pressure to break her focus. She found a spectacular finishing partner in young wicketkeeper-batswoman Kaushini Nuthyangana, who smashed a brisk, unbeaten 24 off just 14 deliveries.
Needing 16 runs off the final two overs, the duo collected 11 runs off Rosemary Mair before entering a nerve-wracking final over bowled by Sophie Devine. Silva brought up her half-century under a light rain shower before Nuthyangana sealed the historic triumph by beautifully flicking Devine through the square leg region for a boundary, prompting wild dugout celebrations on the boundary rope.