New Zealand ticked one big box with a convincing win over Sri Lanka, but Rachin Ravindra has made it clear that the job is far from done. With a semi-final spot now within reach, the Black Caps all-rounder has warned against taking England lightly in their final Super 8 clash.
Speaking after New Zealand’s 61-run win in Colombo, Ravindra stressed that momentum alone would not be enough heading into their next challenge. With England already through to the semi-finals after winning both their matches, New Zealand must now avoid defeat to stay firmly on course for the knockouts.
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“You’re always confident going into these fixtures, especially when we know what the surface is going to be like, but it would be silly to underestimate England at any point. They’re such a quality unit and have shown how well they’ve been bowling. They’ve got world-class batters throughout their order. We’ll take confidence from today but realise in two days’ time it’s a different challenge,” Rachin said.
He also acknowledged the significance of beating Sri Lanka in home conditions.
“It’s a big achievement to beat Sri Lanka in Colombo. We know how strong they are here and I’m immensely proud of the fight the group showed,” he added.
The victory pushed New Zealand to second place in Group 2 with three points from two matches, following their washed-out opener against Pakistan. While the result strengthened their position, Ravindra insisted that England’s depth in both batting and bowling makes them a dangerous opponent regardless of standings.
HOW CAN NEW ZEALAND SEAL A SEMI-FINAL SPOT
New Zealand’s win has left Pakistan needing multiple results to go their way in order to stay alive in the competition. Pakistan must defeat Sri Lanka and hope England beat New Zealand in the final Super 8 fixture.
Even that may not be enough, as net run rate could come into play depending on how the final matches unfold. With England already assured of qualification, New Zealand’s fate largely remains in their own hands — a win against England would guarantee their progress.
Avoiding defeat could also be enough, depending on Pakistan’s result and the margin involved. But Ravindra’s message was clear — relying on permutations is not the preferred route.
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Sri Lanka’s chase of 169 never truly got going after an early setback saw Pathum Nissanka dismissed for a golden duck by Matt Henry. The innings unraveled quickly, and Ravindra played a decisive role in the collapse.
He struck with his very first delivery, removing Kusal Mendis, and followed it up in the same over by having Pavan Rathnayake stumped. The left-arm spinner continued to dismantle the middle order by dismissing Dasun Shanaka and Dushan Hemantha.
Ravindra finished with impressive figures of 4 for 27, leaving Sri Lanka reeling at 59 for 6. Although Kamindu Mendis offered some resistance with a steady 31, Mitchell Santner tightened the pressure from the other end.
Sri Lanka eventually managed only 107 for 8 in their 20 overs, handing New Zealand a comprehensive victory and a strong push towards the semi-finals — with one final hurdle left in England.
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