An outstanding fifth-wicket stand and an even better sixth-wicket partnership electrified a Sri Lanka chase and propelled them to a tight final-over win against New Zealand. Nilakshika Silva was the primary architect. Having arrived at the crease at 55 for 4, with the required rate soon climbing above nine, she produced her finest international innings – a perfectly-paced 54 not out off 37 that saw Sri Lanka to victory with two balls and five wickets to spare.

Nilakshika had serious support in the two partnerships she was involved in. Kavisha Dilhari joined her for a 50-run stand that repaired the innings, though New Zealand were still firm favourites when they were parted with 45 still needed off 30 deliveries. Kaushini Nuthyangana, who had already had a good game behind the stumps, then hit a nerveless 24 not out off 14, outpacing even Nilakshika during a stand that yielded 48 runs off 28 deliveries.

New Zealand were scuttled by their own poor catching again. Had Bree Illing held a sitter at short fine leg in the 10th over, Nilakshika would have been out for only 1, and New Zealand would have claimed five wickets in five overs. Their ground fielding also fell away during the last few overs, when Sri Lanka’s batters were beginning to reverse pressure effectively.

Their batting had also been reined in by a tight Sri Lankan bowling effort, in which the spinners imposed themselves. Sophie Devine and Melie Kerr hit 45 each, but 150 for 6 always seemed a little light on a Southampton surface that was a little slow, but remained largely good for batting.

The loss means New Zealand have lost their two opening matches, and must now treat games against England, Scotland, and Ireland as must-wins. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, are on the points table following their opening defeat at the hands of England. They will now prepare for the match against West Indies on Sunday. A victory there will set them up beautifully for a semi-finals push.

When Nilakshika arrived, Sri Lanka were down to their last three recognised batters, with 95 runs to get off 57 deliveries. It was clear she was timing the ball nicely from the outset, but she repeatedly had trouble piercing the infield and did not find her first boundary until the 13th ball she faced. Thankfully for Sri Lanka, Dilhari was buoyant through the early phase of this partnership, never allowing the required rate to climb too far out of reach.

After the 12th over, however, Nilakshika began to find the open spaces. There were fours through wide mid on and extra cover, and then a six over the head of Devine at deep midwicket, who could have pouched that catch had she stood closer to the rope.

A running mix-up, which perhaps was Nilakshika’s fault, cost Dilhari her wicket. But that only seemed to solidify the resolve within Nilakshika to see the chase through. She was magnificent through the last five overs, finding vital boundaries just as the pressure was mounting, while finding singles in between. With 28 runs needed off the last two overs, it was Nilakshika’s two boundaries off Melie in the 18th that swung the match more decisively in Sri Lanka’s favour. One was a bent-kneed square drive through cover point when Melie had hung the ball out wide. One was a sweep she blasted past Jess Kerr at fine leg.

Nuthyangana produced both Sri Lanka’s first piece of brilliance in this game, as well as their last. Her low catch to dismiss Isabella Gaze off the bowling of slinger Mithali Amodhya set the tone for a spirited Sri Lanka fielding performance. She would go on to claim two further catches – running hard towards fine leg to get under one high chance, plus an easier take to dismiss Brooke Halliday, though she did instigate the review that overturned the not out decision.

It will be for her batting that she will be remembered in this game, however. She’d had a high score of 19 not out in 10 T20I innings before this, but played a near-flawless finishing hand alongside Silva. Her first two boundaries came through wide long on, but crucially, she also found the singles and twos in between these bigger blows. With two required off three balls, she spanked one through square leg to spark beaming smiles and joyful celebrations in the Sri Lanka dugout.

In the absence of Suzie Bates, Devine and Kerr were easily New Zealand’s most experienced batters, and they hit 45 apiece to keep the New Zealand innings above water. Kerr enjoyed a 49-run stand with Georgia Plimmer, though both batters failed to find frequent boundaries in the powerplay. Devine later led New Zealand through the middle overs, as Sri Lanka’s spinners found breakthroughs, striking at 150.

New Zealand’s best passage in the game came between overs five and nine in Sri Lanka’s innings, in which they claimed four wickets for 10 runs. Offspinner Nensi Patel struck twice through this spell, eventually finishing with New Zealand’s best figures of 2 for 23. Bree Illing took the important wicket of Chamari Athapaththu, who made 27. The other wicket came from an excellent direct hit run out from Melie Kerr.