Twitter Reactions: New Zealand keep semi-final hopes alive after thumping victory against Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's T20 World Cup campaign ended in disappointment despite winning their opening two matches.
The 17th match of the ongoing Women's T20 World Cup saw a one-sided contest as New Zealand ran out comfortable victors against Sri Lanka after handing the Asian outfit a chastening defeat by 102 runs. The margin of victory for New Zealand keeps them in contention for a semi-final spot, dumping Sri Lanka out of the tournament. Amelia Kerr was the star of the show, compiling a solid 66 with the bat and returning with 2/7 with the ball in the second innings.
New Zealand, led by the inspirational Sophie Devine, won the toss and elected to bat first on a tricky surface. The White Ferns would have been in a spot of bother in the initial stages, had Sri Lanka taken their chances in the field. But it wasn't to be as New Zealand raced to a decent start in the powerplay, thanks to Bernadine Bezuidenhout's blitz at the top of the order.
Following Bezuidenhout's dismissal, Suzie Bates, who was very much a spectator during her opening partner's onslaught, got going in a decisive stand with Amelia Kerr. The duo added a 110-run partnership for the second wicket, with Kerr smashing 66 off just 48 deliveries. Both batters were dismissed in the final over of the first innings after their respective half-centuries, taking their side to a handsome 162 runs.
The Sri Lankans, in their reply, were all over the place, and their chase seemingly ended inside the powerplay after an abysmal top-order collapse. Their hopes pretty much ended after skipper Chamari Athapaththu succumbed to a 21-ball 19 in the eighth over of the chase. Sri Lanka lost their remaining five wickets for just 25 runs, finishing with an embarrassing 60 runs in their reply.
New Zealand's walloping of their opponents takes them ahead of Sri Lanka on the points table, courtesy of a superior net run rate. The White Ferns will be hoping for Bangladesh's victory against hosts South Africa which will seal their place in the semi-final.
Here is how Twitter reacted to Sri Lanka's exit after an embarrassing loss against New Zealand:
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