Another day, another important match in the 2026 T20 World Cup. This time it is Sri Lanka against New Zealand in Colombo. Sri Lanka is in a dire need of a win to stay alive in the competition after they lost badly to England while New Zealand’s opening game in the Super Eights was washed out.
Contests between New Zealand and Sri Lanka have been interesting since they started playing this format and the hosts have the edge over the Kiwis. But before the big game, let us have a look at the top run scorers for both teams against each other in the T20I format.
Most runs for Sri Lanka against New Zealand in T20Is
1: Kusal Perera - 417 runs
The left-handed Kusal Perera is the highest run-scorer in T20Is between Sri Lanka and New Zealand, scoring 417 runs in 14 innings. He averages 32.07 and strikes at 140.40 against the Kiwis, and in the last game that Sri Lanka played against the Black Caps in 2025, Perera scored 101 in just 46 balls.
2: Tillakaratne Dilshan - 324 runs
The former Sri Lankan batter, Tillakaratne Dilshan, has scored 324 runs in 13 innings against the Kiwis in the shortest format of the game. He averages over 32 against them, but his strike rate is just 107, which is pretty low by his standards. In 13 innings, he has registered three fifties against them.
3: Kusal Mendis - 314 runs
The current Sri Lankan wicket-keeper, Kusal Mendis, stands third in the list of scoring the most runs for Sri Lanka against New Zealand. In 12 innings, Mendis has scored 314 runs at a strike rate of 132.48 and includes two fifties. His highest score is 79, which he scored in 201,9 but in a losing cause.
Most runs for New Zealand against Sri Lanka in T20Is
1: Ross Taylor - 342 runs
One of the finest batters to come out of New Zealand, Ross Taylor, is the highest run-scorer for New Zealand against Sri Lanka. He has scored 342 runs in 16 innings at an average of 22.80 and a strike rate of 114.76. It includes two fifties and a highest score of 62.
2: Martin Guptill - 309 runs
The destructive Martin Guptill was a terrific opener for New Zealand back in the day, and one of his favourite opponents was Sri Lanka. In 11 innings, Martin scored 309 runs at an average of 28.09 and a strike rate of 136.72. He was a key player for New Zealand, but played his last game for New Zealand in 2022.
