Wicket spun more than expected: Santner

Colombo, Feb 25 (PTI) New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said that a total in excess of 160 was "enough" on a surface that offered more turn than expected as his side defeated Sri Lanka by 61 runs to move to the brink of T20 World Cup semifinals here on Wednesday.

New Zealand had slumped to 84/6 in 12.1 overs after losing four wickets in a dramatic middle-order collapse, but Santner (47 off 26) and Cole McConchie (31 not out off 23) turned the game around with a counter-attacking stand.

The duo plundered 70 runs in the last four overs to lift New Zealand to 168/7. New Zealand then restricted Sri Lanka to 107 for 8 to knock the islanders out of the tournament.

“It was obviously a nice score there with the amount of spin with the ball. They squeezed us a lot," Santner said at the post-match presentation.

“Of course, the batsmen will need to take a little responsibility at the top and you know we can't rely on one or two batsmen in a game, so all the batters need to take the positive option.

"I think we lost three wickets on 84, which is never ideal, but I think the longer we could stay in, me and Cole were thinking, we'll try to get to 140, but that kind of sets it up for the last two or three overs and I guess 160 was not bad from there." He said the wicket spun more than expected.

“It looked like a pretty good wicket. It probably spun more than we both thought, both teams thought.

“So I think with the big side as the spinner, you can kind of control your lengths and then you get hit to the big side with the ball spinning in like that.” His spin twin Rachin Ravindra then grabbed a career-best 4/27 to lead the bowling charge.

“I think the stats say, we've watched a few games here, whether it's been Super 8 or the, the before. It's kind of been the side you bowl a lot more kind of spins." New Zealand next face already-qualified England in their final Super Eights fixture here on Friday.

"They're outstanding, obviously. We know that. Quick turnaround for us. Again, we'll see kind of what pitch we're on. If we play something similar, it might be a bit of a slug-fest as well,” Santner added.

For Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka, it was a bitter pill to swallow as the co-hosts bowed out at the Super Eights stage.

“It is very embarrassing to disappoint the home crowd," he said.

“We started really well, but to be honest, the Santner-McConchie and that partnership, it was a good one, which took the game away from us.” Having reduced New Zealand to 84/6, Sri Lanka were eyeing a target around 130, but Shanaka admitted the late assault from the Kiwis proved to be the turning point.

“We wanted to restrict them around 130, but our best bowlers bowling at the given time, they played really well, so we must give the credit to Mitchell Santner and Cole,” he said.

On their batting collapse, Shanaka added: “We must give credit to New Zealand bowlers, which they, you know, executed really well tonight." Sri Lanka next face Pakistan in their final fixture of the T20 World Cup.

"We need to finish it high, yeah, hopefully we'll do our best game in that game,” he said of their final fixture against Pakistan in Pallekele. PTI TAP PDS PDS