Southampton, June 16 (IANS) New Zealand captain Amelia Kerr lamented her side’s fielding standards after the defending champions suffered a five-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, admitting that dropped chances once again proved costly in a match she felt the White Ferns had enough runs to win.

After choosing to bat first, New Zealand scored 150/6 on a pitch that Kerr described as slower than expected. Amelia contributed 45 runs, while Sophie Devine also scored 45. Their partnership helped the White Ferns recover from an early setback.

However, Sri Lanka successfully chased down the target with one ball to spare. Nilakshi de Silva scored an unbeaten 54 and formed a crucial 48-run partnership with Kaushani Nuthyangana, who contributed 24 not out.

Reflecting on the defeat, Kerr felt New Zealand had set a competitive total but acknowledged that their fielding once again fell short. “I thought the wicket was a bit slower. Given the nature of their bowling attack with a lower trajectory, I thought we set a good total. We had enough runs; we would have liked more. But once again, our fielding has let us down.”

Sri Lanka’s chase was fueled by smart running between the wickets, and a confident finish from de Silva and Nuthyangana, especially after the team stumbled from 45/1 to 55/4. Kerr believed those elements set the two teams apart. “I thought they ran really well between the wickets. And that partnership at the end was key. If I could have batted for a couple more overs when I got out, I could have built a platform for Sophie.”

The loss puts pressure on New Zealand in their title defense, but Kerr is confident there is still time for her team to recover with three group matches left.

“We have three matches to go. These are big games for our country. We need to lift ourselves. The most important improvement is in our fielding. Our batting is strong, and we’re bowling well in good areas. We’re creating opportunities. But catches win matches, and our fielding has not met that standard.”

–IANS

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