Watch: Maheesh Theekshana's stunning return catch dismisses Finn Allen for 23 in NZ vs SL T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 clash

Sri Lanka lost their opening clash of the Super 8 stage in the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 against England at the Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy, while New Zealand were unfortunate to stay indoors due to the persistent rain against Pakistan, as both teams put their best foot forward for their second and vital fixture of the Super 8 at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Sri Lanka’s obvious issue was going to the opening partnership of the Kiwi side, of Finn Allen and Tim Seifert. The former started brutally and smashed two boundaries in the second over before getting a life when Maheesh Theekshana dropped him with a hard catch. But the off-spinner later came back to find the wicket of Allen.

It was the very first ball of the evening from Theekshana, who took a fine return catch and threw the ball towards the umpire, and hit the turf, which seemed to be a slight bit of disappointment from the dropped catch in the last over. It was a carrom ball on the stumps, and Allen went deep inside the crease to stay leg-side of the ball and ended up chipping it back to the spinner.

Maheesh Theekshana dismisses Finn Allen in T20 WC 2026

It was the second time Allen was dismissed in T20Is against Theekshana, who has the upper hand with two wickets in as many innings in four balls by conceding only one run. Theekshana later came back to dismiss the vital wicket of Rachin Ravindra, who smashed 32 runs in 22 balls with the help of three fours and one six.

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Two balls later, he went past the defense of Mark Chapman for a two-ball duck. The southpaw had no clue as the ball landed in line with the stumps and turned enough to bite the deck and hammer the top of the off-stump.

In the very next over, Dunith Wellalage’s left-arm spin with the arm got the better of Daryl Mitchell as they got the Kiwis side 86/6 in 13 overs. The only way for the Blackcaps to get out of the situation was for their captain, Mitchell Santner, to play a sensational knock.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 88/6 (Rachin Ravindra 32, Maheesh Theekshana 3/9) vs Sri Lanka.