Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by 48 runs to reach the World Twenty20 semi-finals in a must-win Super Eights match at Trent Bridge here on Tuesday. They join South Africa, West Indies and Pakistan in the last four. Earlier, skipper Kumar Sangakkara hit 35 to anchor Sri Lanka to 158-5 against New Zealand.
Sangakkara put on 62 in 49 balls for the third wicket with Tillekaratne Dilshan and 50 for the fourth with former captain Mahela Jayawardene after he won the toss and elected to bat on a good wicket. Dilshan hit a pugnacious 48 off 37 balls before tapping a catch to the cover fielder off New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori in the 12th over.
Vettori also removed Sangakkara in the 18th over to a catch in the deep to finish with two for 32 in his four overs. Jayawardene remained unbeaten on 41 off 29 balls that included the only six of the innings and six fours. Sri Lanka took a heavy toll of fast bowler Kyle Mills, who went for 41 runs in four overs.
New Zealand removed opener Sanath Jayasuriya and Chamara Silva by the fourth over to make it 25-2, before Dilshan and Sangakkara began the rescue act. "It was a good start, there was turn and bounce," said Kiwi spinner Nathan McCullum. "We are reasonably happy with that. It's not a massive total, it's about par, it should be a good challenge."
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Scoreboard Sri Lanka:
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T. Dilshan c B. McCullum b Vettori 48
S. Jayasuriya c Taylor b N. McCullum 0
C. Silva c Oram b Mills 13
K. Sangakkara c Styris b Vettori 35
M. Jayawardene not out 41
J. Mubarak lbw b Butler 8
A. Mathews not out 6
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Extras: (b1, lb1, w4, nb1) 7
Total: (for 5 wkts, 20 overs) 158
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Did not bat: Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Isuru Udana, Ajantha Mendis.
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-25, 3-87, 4-137, 5-147.
Bowling: N. McCullum 4-0-22-1, Mills 4-0-41-1 (w1), Oram 4-0-23-0, Butler 3-0-29-1, Vettori 4-0-32-2 (w3, nb1), Styris 1-0-9-0
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New Zealand:
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B. McCullum c Mubarak b Udana 10
A. Redmond c Muralitharan b Malinga 23
M. Guptill c Mathews b Jayasuriya 43
R. Taylor st Sangakkara b Mendis 8
S. Styris b Mendis 2
J. Oram b Udana 7
P. McGlashan c Mubarak b Mendis 2
N. McCullum run out 2
D. Vettori c Malinga b Muralitharan 3
K. Mills not out 4
I. Butler run out 2
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Extras: (lb1, w3) 4
Total: (all out, 17 overs) 110
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