How Herath's 'turn' destroyed the Kiwis

Included in the side only because first choice spinner Ajantha Mendis flopped in Sri Lanka’s defeat to England, Rangana Herath grabbed five wickets for just three runs in Monday’s World T20 match.

Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath produced a dream spell of five wickets for just three runs to help Sri Lanka crush New Zealand by 59 runs and storm into the semi-finals of the ICC World Twenty20, in Chittagong, on Monday.

- Scorecard

The 36-year-old spinner turned the virtual knock-out match on its head by grabbing five wickets for just three runs in a sensational spell, while also being instrumental in a run-out which opened the floodgates as Sri Lanka defended a small total of 119 all out in their last Group 1 match, shooting out the Kiwis for just 60 in 15.3 overs, the third lowest total in Twenty20 International history.

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Herath's five for three are the third best ever figures by a bowler in Twenty20 Internationals, only behind team-mate Ajantha Mendis's twin efforts of six for eight and six for 16.

New Zealand were off to a steady start before Herath, included in the side only because Ajantha Mendis flopped in the team’s defeat to England, made an immediate impact, courtesy a run-out to account for the wicket of Martin Guptill.

Five balls later, captain Brendon McCullum was done in by a beauty of a delivery from Herath as he came down the track but was beaten and stumped by wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara for a duck.

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Herath immediately came back for his second over and dismissed Ross Taylor and Jimmy Neesham for ducks with the last two deliveries of the sixth over to cripple the Kiwis.

Taylor was adjudged leg before wicket while Neesham's leg-stump was disturbed after he played across to a tossed-up delivery, bowled from round the wicket, which spun and went through the gap between pad and bat.

New Zealand, who also suffered a jolt after their key player Corey Anderson could not turn up for batting as he was hospitalised after dislocated his finger, were reduced to 23 for four then as Herath bowled two wicket-maiden overs on the trot.

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Even though Herath missed his hat-trick, he continued to torment New Zealand, claiming the wicket of Luke Ranchi (2) in his third over to end his first spell of three overs with figures of four wickets for two runs.

He then capped a fine outing by claiming the wicket of Trent Boult (3), having him caught at first slip, to end the New Zealand innings for a paltry 60.

It was his first-five wicket haul and kept Sri Lanka's hopes of winning their maiden World T20 title alive.

- PHOTOS from the match