Women’s T20 World Cup: Suzie Bates, Amelia Kerr smash half centuries as New Zealand thrashes Sri Lanka

Riding on advantageous half-centuries from opener Suzie Bates (56) and Amelia Kerr (66), New Zealand thrashed Sri Lanka by 102 runs within the Women’s T20 World Cup to boost the semifinal qualification situation in Group A.

The pair mixed for a second-wicket partnership of 110, the White Ferns’ third-highest ever on the match, to take the aspect to 162 for 3 earlier than dismissing Sri Lanka for 60 in 15.5 overs on Sunday.

This was Sri Lanka’s second large loss within the match and its hopes of progressing to the semifinals from the five-team group are over.

New Zealand, led by Sophie Devine, in the meantime, obtained a large internet run fee (NRR) enhance because it climbed to second spot within the group behind Australia.

New Zealand opener Bernadine Bezuidenhout’s blitzkrieg — she smashed a 20-ball 32 studded with 5 boundaries — helped the White Ferns to one in all their greatest begins within the match.

The top-order batter hit 4 boundaries via the leg aspect, realising there was nothing a lot within the Sri Lankan bowling. Her entertaining innings, nonetheless, ended quickly after she spooned a catch to Chamari Athapaththu at mid-off with Achini Kulasuriya incomes the breakthrough.

Bates and Kerr got here collectively on the crease and the previous picked up the place she had left off within the win over Bangladesh.

Though the duo didn’t rating at specific tempo like Bezuidenhout, Kerr selected Athapaththu’s thirteenth over to speed up, cowl driving the Sri Lankan for a boundary after which smashing one via sq. leg to make it 93 for one.

The White Ferns batters additionally received a number of reprieves as Sri Lanka’s fielding left quite a bit to be desired. While Bezuidenhout was given two early reprieves, Nilakshi de Silva shelved a straightforward likelihood to get Bates out.

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Kerr introduced up her maiden T20 half-century off 40 deliveries and Bates her twenty fourth within the closing levels.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 162/3 in 20 overs (Amelia Kerr 66, Suzie Bates 56; Inoka Ranaweera 1/27, Achini Kulasuriya 1/14).

Sri Lanka 60 all out from 15.5 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 19, Malsha Shehani 10; Amelia Kerr 2/7, Lea Tahuhu 2/12).

New Zealand gained by 102 runs.