New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, 41st Match Highlights, Cricket World Cup 2023

Trent Boult led an inspired bowling display to help New Zealand down Sri Lanka by five wickets on Thursday and move to the brink of the World Cup semi-finals. 

Chasing a modest 172 to win, New Zealand rode on an opening stand between Devon Conway (45) and Rachin Ravindra (42) to reach the target with 160 balls to spare.

The Kiwis are fourth, 10 points ahead of Pakistan and Afghanistan, and have a much higher net run rate than their opponents.

Both Pakistan and Afghanistan need improbable margins of victory in their last matches against England and South Africa respectively to reach the last four. Read More Cricket News

The Black Caps, in their last league match, bounced back from four straight losses to close out a potential semi-final clash against unbeaten India.
Ravindra, who also took two wickets, added to his scintillating form in the tournament with three centuries to overtake South Africa's Quinton de Kock and top the batting charts with 565 runs.
Both left-arm openers hit regular boundaries before Dushmantha Chamera broke through Conway's wicket and Ravindra soon followed his partner to the pavilion.
Skipper Kane Williamson fell for 14 and Mark Chapman was run out but Darryl Mitchell's attack ensured his easy exit despite falling 10 runs short of the target of 43.

Boult returned figures of 3-37 after the Kiwis opted to field first and bowled out Sri Lanka for 171 in 46.4 overs. New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Live Score Updates

Opener Kushal Perera scored 51 runs but the rest of the batting collapsed.

Mahesh Thekshana (38 not out) and Dilshan Madushanka (19) added some respectability to the total with a 10th-wicket stand of 43 runs before Sri Lanka trailed to 128-9.

Sri Lanka lost half their side for 70 in 10 overs when Lockie Ferguson brought back left-hander Perera, who hit nine fours and two sixes in a 28-ball innings. Read More Cricket News live Cricket match today England vs Netherlands 40th Match

Perera was dropped for a wicket by Tim Southee to wicketkeeper Tom Latham, who took a wicket next ball to Pathum Nisanka, sent back with a catch for two.

Boult then took the wickets of captain Kusal Mendis (six), Sadira Samarawickrama (one) and Charith Asalankar (eight), who were given not out but the Kiwis successfully reviewed the decision in their favour.

Mendis's strike was Boult's 50th World Cup wicket to join elite company including Glenn McGrath, Muttiah Muralitharan, Mitchell Starc, Lasith Malinga and Wasim Akram.  Read More Cricket News ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Australia vs Afghanistan, 39...

Leg-spinner Mitchell Santner struck twice with his left-arm spin to claim the key wickets of Angelo Mathews (16) and Dhananjaya de Silva (19).

Mathews looked dejected following his "time out" dismissal -- the first in international cricket history -- in the team's previous loss to Bangladesh after being caught at slip in his first innings by Santner's left-arm spin.

Sri Lanka suffered their seventh loss in nine league matches.
Scoreboard:

Sri Lanka Innings: Pathum Nisanka c Latham b Southee 2 Kusal Perera c Santner b Ferguson 51 Kusal Mendis c Ravindra b Boult 6 Sadira Samarawickrama c Mitchell b Boult 1 Charith Asalanka lbw b Boult 8 Angelo Mathews c Mitchell d Mitchell d 1 Mitchell d 1 b Santner 19 Chamika Karunaratne c Latham b Ferguson 6 Mahesh Thekshana not out 38 Dushmantha Chamera c Boult b Ravindra 1 Dilshan Madushanka c Latham b Ravindra 19 Extras: 4 (w-3, lb-1)

Playing XIs:

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

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