WT20: Rangana Herath's magical fiver takes Sri Lanka into semifinals

Chittagong Leftarm spinner Rangana Herath produced a dream spell of five wickets for just three runs as Sri Lanka recorded a crushing 59run victory over New Zealand in a dramatic Super 10 match to qualify for the semifinals of the World Twenty20 here todayHerath turned the virtual knockout match on its head by grabbing five wickets for just three runs in a sensational spell while also being instrumental in a runout which opened the floodgates as Sri Lanka defended a small total of 119 all out in their last Group 1 matchNew Zealand were shot out for just 60 in 153 overs the third lowest total in Twenty20 International historyHeraths 53 was the third best ever figures by a bowler in Twenty20 Internationals behind teammate Ajantha Mendis twin efforts of 68 and 616With this result at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium Sri Lanka finished on top of Group 1 on net run rate though they ended their Super 10 engagements on same six points as South AfricaSri Lanka bowler RanganaHerathC celebrates the wicket of New Zealand batsman Trent Boult with captain Lasith Malinga L and teammates during the ICC World Twenty20 match at The Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Monday PicAFPSri Lanka will now take on Group 2 runnersup team which will be decided after tomorrows match between West Indies and Pakistan on April 3 at MirpurGroup 2 winners India will take on Group 1 runnersup South Africa on April 4 also at MirpurIt was fourth time unlucky for New Zealand who played the semifinal only in the inaugural edition of the World Twenty20 in 2007Needing some sensible batting to overhaul a paltry total New Zealand batted in a dismal manner with opener Kane Williamson the only man to reach double figures with 42He was the eighth man out and with Corey Anderson unable to bat due to a finger injury sustained while fielding Herath wrapped up the match with Trent Boults wicketNew Zealand lost opener Martin Guptill five in the fourth over run out in Heraths first overAfter playing four dot balls New Zealands most dangerous batsman Brendon McCullum jumped out off Herath and was stumpedHerath then trapped Ross Taylor nought leg before and bowled Jimmy Neesham off successive deliveries to push New Zealand on the back footIt became 529 in Heraths third over when he had Luke Ronchi two leg before wicket to improve on his previous best figures of 325 in the 2012 semifinal against Pakistan in ColomboFellow spinner Sachitra Senanayake took 23 in his three oversNew Zealands previous lowest Twenty20 total of 80 came against Pakistan at Auckland two years ago It also becomes the third lowest total ever in all T20s behind the Netherlands 39 also against Sri Lanka here last Monday and 56 by Kenya against Afghanistan at Sharjah last yearEarlier leftarm paceman Boult and Neesham took three wickets apiece to wreck Sri Lanka for a paltry 119 in 192 overs after they were sent into batLeftarmer Mitchell McClenaghan took 224Boult had opener Kusal Perera 16 in his first over and then dismissed Tillakaratne Dilshan eight and Kumar Sangakkara four to give New Zealand a headstart to the matchMahela Jayawardene who topscored with a 32ball 25 added 30 for the fourth wicket with Lahiru Thirimanne 20 before the former captain was bowled round his legs in the 15th overThisara Perera hit three boundaries in his 13ball 16 before Neesham took three wickets in 14 balls to rout the pretournament favouritesSri Lanka were without their regular T20 captain Dinesh Chandimal suspended for a slow overrate Lasith Malinga stepped in as skipperThirimanne and Herath had replaced Chandimal and Ajantha Mendis in the team which lost to England on ThursdayNew Zealand kept faith in the same side which beat the Netherlands on Saturday