Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath records astonishing figures of 3-5 to help Sri Lanka demolish New Zealand by 59 runs and qualify for the World Twenty20 semi-finals
Rangana Herath
Chittagong: Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath produced a dream spell of five wickets for just three runs as Sri Lanka recorded a crushing 59-run victory over New Zealand in a dramatic Super 10 match to qualify for the semifinals of the World Twenty20 here today.
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Herath turned the virtual knock-out match on its head by grabbing five wickets for just three runs in a sensational spell while also being instrumental in a run-out which opened the floodgates as Sri Lanka defended a small total of 119 all out in their last Group 1 match.
New Zealand were shot out for just 60 in 15.3 overs, the third lowest total in Twenty20 International history.
Herath's 5/3 was the third best ever figures by a bowler in Twenty20 Internationals behind team-mate Ajantha Mendis' twin efforts of 6/8 and 6/16.
With this result at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Sri Lanka finished on top of Group 1 on net run rate though they ended their Super 10 engagements on same six points as South Africa.
Sri Lanka bowler Rangana Herath (C) celebrates the wicket of New Zealand batsman Trent Boult with captain Lasith Malinga (L) and teammates during the ICC World Twenty20 match at The Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Monday. Pic/AFP
Sri Lanka will now take on Group 2 runners-up team, which will be decided after tomorrow's match between West Indies and Pakistan, on April 3 at Mirpur.
Group 2 winners India will take on Group 1 runners-up South Africa on April 4, also at Mirpur.
It was fourth time unlucky for New Zealand who played the semi-final only in the inaugural edition of the World Twenty20 in 2007.
Needing some sensible batting to overhaul a paltry total New Zealand batted in a dismal manner with opener Kane Williamson the only man to reach double figures with 42.
He was the eighth man out and with Corey Anderson unable to bat due to a finger injury sustained while fielding, Herath wrapped up the match with Trent Boult's wicket.
New Zealand lost opener Martin Guptill (five) in the fourth over, run out in Herath's first over.
After playing four dot balls, New Zealand's most dangerous batsman Brendon McCullum jumped out off Herath and was stumped.
Herath then trapped Ross Taylor (nought) leg before and bowled Jimmy Neesham off successive deliveries to push New Zealand on the back foot.
It became 5-29 in Herath's third over when he had Luke Ronchi (two) leg before wicket to improve on his previous best figures of 3-25 in the 2012 semi-final against Pakistan in Colombo.
Fellow spinner Sachitra Senanayake took 2-3 in his three overs.
New Zealand's previous lowest Twenty20 total of 80 came against Pakistan at Auckland two years ago. It also becomes the third lowest total ever in all T20s, behind the Netherland's 39, also against Sri Lanka here last Monday and 56 by Kenya against Afghanistan at Sharjah last year.
Earlier left-arm paceman Boult and Neesham took three wickets apiece to wreck Sri Lanka for a paltry 119 in 19.2 overs after they were sent into bat.
Left-armer Mitchell McClenaghan took 2-24.
Boult had opener Kusal Perera (16) in his first over and then dismissed Tillakaratne Dilshan (eight) and Kumar Sangakkara (four) to give New Zealand a headstart to the match.
Mahela Jayawardene, who top-scored with a 32-ball 25, added 30 for the fourth wicket with Lahiru Thirimanne (20) before the former captain was bowled round his legs in the 15th over.
Thisara Perera hit three boundaries in his 13-ball 16 before Neesham took three wickets in 14 balls to rout the pre-tournament favourites.
Sri Lanka were without their regular T20 captain Dinesh Chandimal, suspended for a slow over-rate. Lasith Malinga stepped in as skipper.
Thirimanne and Herath had replaced Chandimal and Ajantha Mendis in the team which lost to England on Thursday.
New Zealand kept faith in the same side which beat the Netherlands on Saturday.
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