SOUTHAMPTON, England: In a stunning reversal of fortunes, Sri Lanka produced one of the biggest upsets of the Women’s T20 World Cup on Tuesday, defeating defending champions New Zealand for the first time in tournament history with a five-wicket victory at the Rose Bowl.
A result to remember as Sri Lanka secure a first win over New Zealand at Women’s #T20WorldCup 🙌
📝: https://t.co/ls2lImOAWR pic.twitter.com/95l10ah9TU
— ICC (@ICC) June 16, 2026
The dramatic comeback win, achieved with just two balls to spare, saw Sri Lanka chase down a target of 151 after Nilakshika Silva and Kaushini Nuthyangana combined for an unbroken 48-run partnership off just 28 deliveries, turning what seemed like a certain defeat into a famous victory.
The defending champions’ misery was compounded by their continued fielding struggles. Having dropped six catches in their opening loss to the West Indies, New Zealand added three more costly drops against Sri Lanka, two of which proved pivotal to the outcome.
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu was dropped on just 6 and went on to make 27, providing the early momentum in the powerplay. Even more crucially, Silva was put down on 1 and made the most of her reprieve, anchoring the chase with a composed 54 not out.
What a win for Sri Lanka Women! 🇱🇰💪
SL beat New Zealand by 5 wickets in a thrilling Women’s T20 World Cup match!
First-ever victory over NZ at the T20 World Cup. pic.twitter.com/rTjAQOVNy6— Rehan 56 (@imrehan456) June 16, 2026
Earlier, an unchanged New Zealand side chose to bat first on the same pitch but struggled to post a commanding total, finishing at 150-6. Captain Melie Kerr and Sophie Devine both contributed 45 runs, but their efforts were not enough to propel the Kiwis to a more daunting score.
The pair had been battering Sri Lanka together until Kerr was caught on the boundary. Devine kept hopes alive but was also caught on the boundary in the 18th over, after which New Zealand could only manage 11 runs off the final two overs.
Sri Lanka’s chase appeared in jeopardy when Kavisha Dilhara was run out at 105-5 in the 15th over. However, Silva, playing her second T20 fifty in 13 years of international cricket, displayed remarkable composure. Supported by Nuthyangana, who contributed a career-best 24, the pair rushed Sri Lanka to victory, completing the chase at 153-5 with two balls to spare.
𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐌𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐒! 💙💛
Jubilation for Sri Lanka as they register a historic first-ever Women’s #T20WorldCup win over New Zealand 🤩📸 pic.twitter.com/j6GFuknVg6
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) June 16, 2026
With two defeats from their opening two group matches, New Zealand now face an uphill battle to reach the semifinals. Only one team in tournament history, South Africa at home in 2023, has advanced to the semifinals after losing their first two matches. The world champions will need a remarkable turnaround to keep their title defense alive.
For Sri Lanka, the victory marks a stunning recovery after their opening hiding from England and serves as a warning to the rest of the tournament that they are genuine contenders.
