The New Zealand Women vs Sri Lanka Women match is the 7th Match of Group B in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to take place on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at the Hampshire Bowl (also known as The Rose Bowl) in Southampton, England. The match starts at 1:30 PM GMT (local British time), which converts to 2:30 PM local time in Southampton, 7:00 PM IST for viewers in India, and 10:51 AM PKT for fans in Pakistan.
This is a 20-over T20 match where both teams are desperately looking to bounce back after disappointment in their opening matches, with crucial points on the line as only the top two teams from Group B of six teams will advance to the semi-finals on June 30 and July 2, with the final scheduled at Lord’s on July 5, 2026.
The Hampshire Bowl in Southampton features Pitch No. 10, a hybrid surface designed to offer extra pace, bounce, and carry. The wicket has a healthy covering of live grass but remains firm and hard, suggesting it should be a good surface for batting once players settle in. Seamers may find slight assistance with the new ball through the air, but the conditions appear well-suited for run-scoring after the initial phase.
This pitch heavily favors batting first, with temperatures expected to hover around 20-21°C and no weather concerns on the horizon. A steady breeze will sweep across the ground, and humidity levels around 70-80% assist swing bowlers early in the innings. Light breeze and overcast skies can increase movement with the new ball. June in England means rain remains possible, so the Duckworth-Lewis method should be ready, but fans can hope for a full match.
Both teams entered the tournament with disappointing opening matches and desperately need a victory to keep their semifinal hopes alive. This is a crucial Group B clash where valuable points are on the line as teams look to strengthen their chances of reaching the knockout stages. Only the top two teams from this group of six will progress to the semi-finals.
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026
- Match / League / Season: New Zealand Women vs Sri Lanka Women, 7th Match, Group B, ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026
- Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM IST (3:00 PM Local Time / BST)
Venue: Hampshire Bowl (The Rose Bowl), Southampton, England
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Live Streaming Info
The tournament took place in England and Wales in June–July 2026, featuring a 10-team format with group stage matches leading into two semifinals and a final at Lord’s. 10 teams participated, with a group-stage format that culminated in two semifinals and a final.
- In India: watch it on Star Sports Network and stream on JioHotstar.
- In Pakistan: coverage is on PTV Sports and Geo Super, with streaming on Myco, Tamasha, ARY Zapp, and Tapmad.
- In the UK: use Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event, with streaming on Sky Sports and NOW.
- In the USA and Canada: the broadcaster is Willow TV, with streaming through Willow and Cricbuzz.
- In Australia: the live option is Prime Video.
- For Sri Lanka: Viewers can watch on The Papare 2, Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, and TV Supreme, with Dialog Play for streaming.
- For New Zealand: coverage is on Sky Sport channels with streaming on Sky Sport Now and Sky Go.
- In India: fans can tune into Star Sports Network and stream the matches on JioHotstar.
Pakistan: Viewers can watch on PTV Sports and Geo Super, with streaming available on Myco, Tamasha, ARY Zapp, and Tapmad.
In South Africa, the wider Sub-Saharan region, SuperSport Cricket holds the rights.
How to Watch the Match for Free:
The easiest free option for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 is ICC.tv in countries covered under “Rest of the World,” which includes Qatar unless a local broadcaster is announced separately.
Tamasha App in Pakistan: live for free on TV via terrestrial, cable, and satellite—no subscription needed.
Live Streaming Info:
The 7th T20 SL-W vs NZ-W Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be live on Star Sports.
Live Score Info:
New Zealand Women vs Sri Lanka Women, 7th T20 World Cup 2026: All matches on ESPN and Cricbuzz have live scores.
Probable Playing XI
Probable XI: Melie Kerr, Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine, Flora Devonshire, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Georgia Plimmer
Probable XI: Chamari Athapaththu (c), Anushka Sanjula, Anmileka PriyadarshaniAn, Anshi Gamage, Anushka Samarasekera, Anjala Senanayake, Anushka Silva, Chharika Fernando, Nethra Sikamani, Pabbscm, Rодаcara, Shashini Shivmani，素马丽瓦, Viplav Kumar
New Zealand Women faced a tough start to the tournament, losing their opening match by seven wickets against West Indies Women. In that game, West Indies scored 163 for 3 (Campbelle 90*, Matthews 48) while New Zealand managed 162 for 6 (Halliday 40, Gaze 39), with New Zealand losing by seven wickets. The defending champions were outmuscled in a raw display of power-hitting that induced errors from a shell-shocked fielding unit.
Sri Lanka Women kicked off their campaign with a crushing 87-run defeat to England Women at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Danni Wyatt-Hodge scored a century as England dismissed Sri Lanka for 132 for a statement victory. This loss propelled England to the top of Group 2, leaving Sri Lanka searching for answers.
Head-to-Head Summary
New Zealand Women and Sri Lanka Women have a long-standing rivalry in T20 cricket. Based on their historical record, New Zealand has dominated the head-to-head matchup. In their recent meetings, New Zealand Women has consistently outperformed Sri Lanka, including a dominant 78-run win in the second ODI of their 2024 series where Maddy Green’s century and Hannah Rowe’s 4-wicket haul helped them dominate.
The last five meetings have shown New Zealand’s superiority, with the White Ferns winning most encounters convincingly. In their 2025 T20I series in New Zealand, New Zealand maintained their strong form against Sri Lanka.
Team Analysis
New Zealand Women – Strengths, Weaknesses, Key Players
Strengths: New Zealand boasts world-class bowling with Amelia Kerr in exceptional form, experienced batting led by Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, and strong fielding. The team has a proven track record as defending champions.
Weaknesses: The middle order has shown inconsistency, and New Zealand struggled against power-hitting in their opening match against West Indies. Their fielding errors cost them crucial runs.
Key Players: Sophie Devine (captain and experienced leader), Amelia Kerr (world-class wrist spin), Suzie Bates (veteran batsman), Maddy Green (power hitter), and Izzy Gaze (dependable batsman).
Recent Performances: The White Ferns lost their opening match badly but remain confident with Devine still leading and Kerr in world-class form. New Zealand can reach the semi-finals if their middle order fires and Kerr’s wrist spin bites on English tracks.
Sri Lanka Women – Strengths, Weaknesses, Key Players
Strengths: Sri Lanka features a mix of youth and experience led by captain Chamari Athapaththu, with several top-tier players capable of match-defining performances. The team has strong batting depth.
Weaknesses: Sri Lanka’s batting collapsed against England, dismissing them for just 132 runs. Their fielding and bowling struggled to contain England’s aggressive batsmen, particularly during evening matches under lights.
Key Players: Chamari Athapaththu (captain and leading batsman), the team’s youth players bringing energy, and bowlers who need to step up in crucial matches.
Recent Performances: Sri Lanka started with a disastrous 87-run loss to England, leaving them at the bottom of Group 2. They need big performances from their captain and overall team cohesion to keep semifinal hopes alive.
Based on form, conditions, and overall squad strength, New Zealand Women have a significant edge in this match. The defending champions possess world-class bowling with Amelia Kerr, experienced batting leadership from Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, and a proven track record as T20 World Cup winners. Despite their disappointing opening loss to West Indies, New Zealand’s depth, particularly in bowling and batting, provides them a significant edge in familiar English conditions.
The Hampshire Bowl pitch favors batting first and offers good pace and bounce, which suits New Zealand’s aggressive batting style. While Sri Lanka boasts several top-tier players capable of delivering match-defining performances, their batting collapse against England and overall inconsistency makes them the underdog. New Zealand can reach the semi-finals if their middle order fires and Kerr’s wrist spin bites on English tracks, giving them the tournament advantage.
New Zealand Women to win by 25-35 runs or 5-6 wickets, bounce back from their opening defeat, and strengthen their semifinal chances in this crucial Group B encounter.