Johannesburg, September 15:

Sanath Jayasu-riya smashed 61 to steer Sri Lanka to a seven-wicket win over New Zea-land who had made 164-7 in their ICC Twe-nty20 World Championships here today.

Jayasuriya tore into the Kiwis, adding 82 with Upul Tharanga (37) and 50 with Mahela Jaya-wardene (35 not out) before he holed out with the game nearly won. Ross Taylor had hit 62 for New Zealand and shared fifty stands with Peter Fulton (25) and Jacob Oram (33 not out). Both sides have already qualified for the Super Eight phase.

After Kiwi skipper Daniel Vettori had won the toss, Dilhara Fernando (2-30) had openers Brendon McCullum and Lou Vincent both caught in the deep, before Fulton and Taylor put on 70 for the third wicket.

But Tharanga and Jayasuriya set about new-ball pair Shane Bond and Chris Martin in brutal fashion, clubbing boundaries at will. Vettori’s left-arm spin finally made the breakthrough in the eighth over, but by then Sri Lanka were already nearly halfway to their target.

Styris had Kumar Sangakkara (14) caught on the midwicket boundary, but Jayawardene joined Jayasuriya in feasting on the Kiwi bowlers. Although Jay-asuriya was eventually caught by Fulton at deep midwicket to give Vettori a second wicket with seven runs still needed, Jayawardene and Chamara Silva closed out the victory with seven balls to spare.