New Zealand beats Sri Lanka by 45 runs in 2nd T20 to take a 2-0 series lead

MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand (AP) — Sri Lanka again fell short in a tough run chase as New Zealand won the second Twenty20 international by 45 runs Monday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

The tourists were edged by eight runs chasing 172-8 in the first match two days ago and again faltered late while chasing New Zealand's 186-5 on Monday. Sri Lanka was all out for 141 in 19.1 overs.

“It's really important to finish the game, no matter how it started,” Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka said.

“The way you finish is the most important thing. In the first game we were almost there to win and again we're disappointed.”

Once again, Jacob Duffy was New Zealand's key bowler, dismissing opener Pathum Nissanka for 37 and returning to remove Kusal Perera for 48 when both batters looked well placed to steer Sri Lanka to victory.

Nissanka made 96 in the first match in a 120-run opening partnership with Kusal Mendis before Duffy turned that match in New Zealand's favor when he took three wickets in four balls, including Mendis, to stifle the Sri Lanka chase.

He took 4-15 Monday to once again stand out as the difference between the teams.

After dismissing Nissanka, Duffy produced a superb yorker to remove Perera in the 16th over when Sri Lanka was 127-4 and still in with a good chance. He then removed Wanindu Hasaranga (1) and Maheesh Theekshana (0) in the space of three balls in the 18th over as the Sri Lanka tail again failed to fire.

Matt Henry took two wickets with consecutive balls in the 19th over before Zak Foulkes finished off the Sri Lanka innings with five balls remaining.

New Zealand depended on a century partnership between Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell to post a competitive total in the first match. It produced a more balanced batting effort Monday to reach a testing total on a tricky pitch which sometimes skidded, sometimes held up and provided a batting challenge.

A strong wind across the Bay Oval also made hitting to one side of the ground difficult and gave an edge to the bowlers.

Tim Robinson made 41 from 34 balls at the top of the New Zealand innings, hitting three fours and two sixes to impart early momentum while Rachin Ravindra failed again and was out for 1.

Mark Chapman made 42 from 29 balls batting at No. 3, then wicketkeeper Mitchell made a vital contribution with an unbeaten 41 from 19 balls at the death, including four fours and two sixes. His innings also separated the teams.

“It was good to contribute to a good score, one we were pretty happy with and to contribute to a win,” Hay said.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

New Zealand's Tim Robinson and New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra head out to bat during the second Twenty20 international cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Mt. Maunganui, New Zealand Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

New Zealand's Tim Robinson bats during the second Twenty20 international cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Mt. Maunganui, New Zealand Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

Sri Lanka's Charith Asalanka and Binura Fernando celebrate the run out of New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell, during the second Twenty20 international cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Mt. Maunganui, New Zealand Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

New Zealand's Tim Robinson plays a shot as Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis looks on, during the second Twenty20 international cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Mt. Maunganui, New Zealand Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

New Zealand's Mitch Hay bats, during the second Twenty20 international cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Mt. Maunganui, New Zealand Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

New Zealand's Michael Bracewell and Mitch Hay walk, at the completion of their innings, during the second Twenty20 international cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Mt. Maunganui, New Zealand Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

Sri Lanka's Kusal Perera as New Zealand's Mitch Hay looks on, during the second Twenty20 international cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Mt. Maunganui, New Zealand Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

Sri Lanka players celebrate dismissing New ZNew Zealand's Mitch Hay and Daryl Mitchell celebrate the dismissal of Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis, during the second Twenty20 international cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Mt. Maunganui, New Zealand Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

New Zealand's Mitch Hay fields, during the second Twenty20 international cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Mt. Maunganui, New Zealand Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

New Zealand's Mitch Hay and Jacob Duffy celebrate the wicket of Sri Lanka's Kusal Perera, during the second Twenty20 international cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Mt. Maunganui, New Zealand Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

Sri Lanka's Kusal Perera bats as New Zealand's Mitch Hay looks on, during the second Twenty20 international cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Mt. Maunganui, New Zealand Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell attempts to make a catch, during the second Twenty20 international cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Mt. Maunganui, New Zealand Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 2, 2025--

Cirium, the world’s most trusted source of aviation analytics, today announced the winners of its 2024 On-Time Performance Review, celebrating airlines and airports that excelled in on-time and operational performance.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250101214982/en/

Cirium’s Annual report is the gold standard for global airline and airport performance analytics. An on-time flight is defined as a flight that arrives within 14:59 minutes of the scheduled gate arrival time. Airports measure punctuality as departing flights within 14:59 minutes of their scheduled departure time.

Mexico’s Flag Carrier Tops Global Rankings

Aeromexico claimed the prestigious title of the most On-Time “Global Airline” in 2024, achieving an impressive On-Time performance rate of 86.70%. Saudia followed closely as the runner-up with 86.35%, while Delta Air Lines secured third place with 83.46%, continuing to showcase its operational reliability on the world stage.

Cirium’s Annual Review also acknowledges the operational excellence of airlines across the world, with five regional awards. Iberia Express, member of the International Airlines Group, had success as both the most On-Time airline in Europe, and the most On-Time Low-Cost airline globally. Japan Airlines ranked first within Asia-Pacific, just slightly ahead of All Nippon Airways.

Delta Air Lines continued its dominance in North America, while Copa Airlines achieved a landmark 10th win in Latin America. Safair’s also won most On-Time airline in the Middle East and Africa. The full tables of results by region and category are presented below.

Riyadh’s King Khalid Airport Takes Top Honors in the Global Airport Category

In the Airport categories, Riyadh King Khalid International Airport, the gateway to Saudi Arabia’s capital, claimed this year’s prestigious title of the most On-Time “Global Airport” with an impressive 86.65% of flights departing on time. The Middle Eastern hub further distinguished itself by securing victory in the ‘Large Airport’ category, outperforming top contenders from around the world.

The title of most On-Time ‘Medium Airport’ was awarded to Panama’s Tocumen International Airport - the home base for Latin American winner Copa Airlines, while the ‘Small Airport’ winner was Guayaquil Jose Joaquin de Olmedo International Airport in Ecuador.

Special Recognition of Operational Excellence: The Cirium Platinum Awards

Delta Air Lines topped the table for a fourth consecutive year, landing Cirium’s Platinum Award for global operational excellence. This prestigious accolade comes as the Atlanta-based airline continues to be praised for its unwavering commitment to operational performance.

The Platinum award considers the complexity of the carrier’s network, volume of flights, and the ability to limit the impact of flight disruptions on passengers over the entire year. The airline was recognized for its on-time performance over the course of 2024 at 83.46%, on more than 1,712,529 total flights in 2024.

This year, Cirium also presented its first annual Platinum Award to a global airport, with El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia receiving this prestigious award. The Airport Platinum Award considers a broader range of factors including the impact of delays on passengers, the duration of disruptions, operational complexity, and the airport’s appeal, with a particular focus on growth. This holistic approach highlights excellence across multiple dimensions, setting a new benchmark in airport performance evaluation.

Jeremy Bowen, Cirium CEO, said: “In an industry defined by operational complexity, we are extremely proud to be celebrating the airlines and airports who have provided customers the most on-time flights and best performance in 2024, acknowledging their operational excellence.”

“2024 was a difficult year for airlines, facing a large-scale IT outage, and unseasonable and severe weather patterns. Despite these challenges, these airlines and airports have worked tirelessly to ensure their customers have a smooth journey and reach their destination on-time.”

“We extend our congratulations to all the winners of this year’s On-Time Performance Review, each of whom has set new standards in operational excellence. A special recognition goes to Delta Air Lines for continuing their outstanding winning streak with Cirium’s Platinum Award for airlines, Copa Airlines for achieving its 10th title as Latin America’s most On-Time airline, Iberia Express for its consistent performance as Europe’s most On-Time airline, and Bogotá El Dorado Airport for securing Cirium’s first-ever Platinum Award for an airport.”

Now in its 16th year, the Cirium On-Time Performance Review remains the definitive benchmark for monitoring global airline operational performance. Powered by Cirium’s vast and impartial data—sourced from over 600 real-time feeds, including airlines, airports, global distribution systems, and civil aviation authorities—it offers a thorough and objective view of the industry. The program is further strengthened by the guidance of an independent advisory board composed of seasoned industry experts with decades of experience.

Cirium’s full 2024 On-Time Performance Review is available to view and download at www.cirium.com/on-time-performance.

Notes to editors:

The results for 2024 for the top ten performers in all categories include the following:

Global Airline leaders were:

In Europe the leading airlines were:

In North America the leading airlines were:

In Asia Pacific the leading airlines were:

In Latin America the leading airlines were:

In the Middle East and Africa the leading airlines were:

The leading low-cost carriers were:

Global Airport leaders were:

Large Airports leaders were:

Medium Airports leaders were:

Small Airports leaders were:

About Cirium

Cirium® is the world’s most trusted source of aviation analytics. The company delivers powerful data and cutting-edge analytics to empower a wide spectrum of industry players. Equipping airlines, airports, travel enterprises, aircraft manufacturers, and financial entities with the clarity and intelligence they need to optimize their operations, make informed decisions, and accelerate revenue growth.

Cirium® is part of LexisNexis® Risk Solutions, a RELX business, which provides information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. The shares of RELX PLC are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX.

For further information please follow Cirium® on LinkedIn or visit cirium.com.

Cirium On-Time Performance Review 2024 (Photo: Business Wire)