All-round New Zealand virtually through to 2023 World Cup semis
New Zealand have one foot in the semi-finals of the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup after mauling sorry Sri Lanka in match number 41 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. SL were poor with the bat, managing a paltry score of 171 in 46.4 overs. Kusal Perera scored a fifty. In response, NZ chased down the target in 23.2 overs (172/5).
Here is the match summary
Sri Lanka were rocked by Tim Southee and Trent Boult before Perera showed his class, scoring a rapid 51. He was dropped by Tom Latham early on. NZ had SL reeling at 113/8 and then 128/9 before Maheesh Theekshana and Dilshan Madushanka showed character. In response, NZ openers added 86 runs to lay the platform. NZ got the job done easily post that.
Kusal Perera smashes the fastest half-century of 2023 World Cup
Perera scored 51 off 28 balls, a knock laced with nine boundaries and two maximums. Perera reached his fifty off just 22 balls, the fastest in the ongoing tournament. He displaced Kusal Mendis and Australia's Travis Head at the top, who took 25 balls apiece to get the milestone against South Africa and Pakistan, respectively.
Joint-second fastest World Cup fifty for SL
Perera slammed the joint-second fastest World Cup fifty by an SL batter, joining Dinesh Chandimal. Meanwhile, Angelo Mathews (20 balls versus Scotland, 2015) tops this list.
17 ODI fifties for Perera
This was Perera's fifth half-century in ODI WCs as he has now raced to 449 across 16 games at 28.06. Perera owns 3,237 runs from 116 ODIs at an average of 30.53. The tally includes six tons and 17 fifties. Against NZ, Perera owns 229 runs from six innings at 38.16 (100: 1, 50: 1).
3rd left-arm pacer to take 50 ODI World Cup scalps
Boult is now the third left-arm pacer in ODI World Cup history to take 50 or more wickets. Mitchell Starc, of Australia, leads the chart with 59 scalps at 19.74. Former Pakistan legend Wasim Akram held the record before Starc surpassed him. Akram took 55 wickets at 23.83. Meanwhile, Boult surpassed Chaminda Vaas (49) to join this elite club among left-arm pacers.
The sixth bowler to take 50-plus ODI World Cup wickets
Boult is now the sixth bowler to take 50-plus ODI World Cup wickets. As per ESPNcricinfo, former Aussie pacer Glenn McGrath leads the show with 71 scalps at 18.19. Sri Lanka's spin wizard Muthiah Muralidaran is second with 68 scalps at 19.63. Lasith Malinga has 56 wickets while Starc owns 59. Malinga averaged 22.87. Akram is fifth on the list with 55 scalps.
3rd-fastest to 50 ODI World Cup scalps (terms of innings)
Boult has picked 52 ODI World Cup scalps at 24.38. He is the third-fastest to 50 ODI WC scalps in terms of innings taken (28). Starc (19) and Malinga (25) are ahead of Boult.
600 international wickets for Boult
As per ESPNcrincfo, Boult became the third New Zealand bowler with 600 international scalps (601). He joins the likes of Southee (732) and Daniel Vettori (705). Notably, 210 of Boult's international scalps have come in ODIs at 24.09. He also owns 317 scalps in the longest format for NZ and another 74 in the 20-over format.
Mitchell Santner equals this record of Daniel Vettori
Santner claimed two wickets and conceded just 22 runs in 10 overs. As a result, Santner became New Zealand's joint-highest wicket-taker among spinners in a World Cup edition. The Kiwi spinner equaled the record of legend Daniel Vettori, who took as many scalps in the 2007 edition. Vettori also finished with 15 wickets in the 2015 World Cup.
Sri Lanka script this unwanted record
Sri Lanka racked up 74/5 in the first 10 overs against New Zealand. They are the only side to lose five-plus wickets in overs 1-10 in an innings in World Cup 2023. SL also lost five wickets in this phase during the match against India in Mumbai. The Lankans were 14/6 in 10 overs. Notably, SL were folded for 55 while chasing 358.
SL lost most wickets in overs 1-10 in WC 2023
Sri Lanka have become the only side to lose 20 wickets in overs 1-10 in World Cup 2023. Bangladesh and England follow SL, having lost 18 and 16 wickets in this regard, respectively.
Theekshana, Madushanka script these partnership records against NZ
The 43-run stand between Theekshana and Madushanka is now the highest 10-wicket stand for SL in ODI WCs. They went past Vinothen John and Rumesh Ratnayake, who added 33 runs against England in the 1983 event. West Indies legends Joel Garner and Andy Roberts top this list with a 71-run stand against India in 1983.
A unique record for Theekshana
Theekshana has now survived the second-most deliveries by a player batting at number nine or lower in ODIs (91 balls). He is only behind India's Jai Prakash Yadav, who survived 92 balls against New Zealand in 2005. Australia's Andy Bichel held the previous World Cup record, having survived 83 balls against NZ in the 2003 event.
Theekshana and Madushanka script this rare WC record
As per Cricbuzz, Theekshana and Madushanka have now recorded the most balls faced by a 10th wicket partnership in the World Cup (87). They surpassed the tally of 71 by Tim de Leede and Jeroen Smits (NED) vs ENG, East London, 2003.
Madushanka accomplishes this feat
Madushanka survived 48 balls, which is now the joint-most by a number-11 batter in a WC game. He has joined WI's Roberts and New Zealand's Ewen Chatfield. Vinothen John trails Madushanka among SL players on this list, having survived 27 balls against England in 1983. Notably, Madushanka touched the 10-run mark for the first time in List A cricket.
Ravindra breaks Sachin and Bairstow's records
Ravindra (565) has now recorded the most runs in a single World Cup edition before turning 25. He broke the record of Sachin Tendulkar, who scored 523 runs in the 1996 World Cup. Meanwhile, Ravindra now also owns the most runs in a maiden World Cup edition. He surpassed Jonny Bairstow, who scored 532 runs in the 2019 edition.
The highest scorer at the 2023 World Cup
Ravindra scored a 34-ball 42. He slammed three fours and three sixes. He is now the top scorer at the 2023 World Cup. Ravindra owns 565 runs at an average of 70.62. He also went past 50 fours (52).
SL's second-lowest World Cup score versus New Zealand
Sri Lanka posted their second-lowest World Cup score versus New Zealand. SL's lowest score versus NZ is 136 in the 2019 World Cup. SL have also recorded the fifth-lowest team total at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Lastly, SL have scored below 200 for the 27th time versus NZ in ODIs.
