England Secures Thrilling Victory Over New Zealand in Super Eights

England Triumphs in Nail-Biting Finish

In a gripping encounter at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, England clinched a narrow victory against New Zealand, winning by four wickets and finishing the Super Eights stage unbeaten.

With 43 runs required in the final three overs, Will Jacks was struggling to find his rhythm when Rehan Ahmed stepped in after Tom Banton's dismissal. Kiwi captain Mitchell Santner handed the 18th over to Glenn Phillips, who began with a single. Ahmed quickly turned the tide, hitting a six on the second ball and following it up with a single. Jacks then struck three boundaries in succession, amassing 22 runs in that over.

With 21 runs still needed, Santner bowled again, and Jacks along with Ahmed managed to score 16 runs, including two boundaries. Only five runs were required in the last over, and Jacks secured the win, earning the Player of the Match title for his performance, marking his fourth such accolade in the tournament. He now shares the record for the most Player of the Match awards in a T20 World Cup with Shane Watson from the 2012 edition.

England's Chase and Key Contributions

Chasing a target of 160 runs on a slow pitch, England faced early setbacks, losing their first two wickets by the second over. Phil Salt managed just 2 runs off 4 balls, while Jos Buttler was dismissed for a duck. Harry Brook, batting at number three, scored 26 runs off 24 balls, supported by three fours and a six. Jacob Bethell added 21 runs, but it was Tom Banton, the top scorer with 33 runs off 24 balls, along with Ahmed (19 off seven balls) and Jacks, who ultimately led England to a dramatic win. Rachin Ravindra was the standout bowler for New Zealand, taking three wickets for 19 runs, while Phillips, Lockie Ferguson, and Matt Henry each claimed one wicket.

Pakistan's Semi-Final Aspirations Remain Alive

Following this victory, Pakistan's hopes for a semi-final berth are still intact. They must secure a win against Sri Lanka in their upcoming Super Eights match, needing to do so by a significant margin—either by more than 64 runs or by chasing the target in 13.1 overs.

New Zealand's Competitive Total

Earlier in the match, New Zealand opted to bat first and set a challenging total of 159 runs. After a strong start from openers Finn Allen and Tim Seifert, the Black Caps faced a mid-innings slump. England's bowlers, particularly Adil Rashid and Will Jacks, consistently took wickets to limit New Zealand's scoring.

New Zealand began cautiously, scoring just eight runs by the end of the second over. However, the openers shifted gears, reaching 54 without loss by the end of the sixth over.

England's Bowling Response

Adil Rashid broke the opening partnership during the last ball of the seventh over, dismissing Tim Seifert, who scored 35 runs off 25 balls. In the next over, Will Jacks took out Finn Allen for 29 runs off 19 balls. By the end of the 10th over, New Zealand was at 84 for 2.

Rehan Ahmed claimed the wicket of Rachin Ravindra for 11 runs in the 12th over, and by the end of the 13th over, New Zealand was at 116 for 3. Rashid then dismissed Mark Chapman for 15 runs, and Liam Dawson took out Daryl Mitchell for just three runs in the 17th over. Jacks later bowled Glenn Phillips for 29 runs, leaving New Zealand at 142 for 6.

In the final overs, Cole McConchie contributed 14 runs off 12 balls, helping New Zealand reach a total of 159 for 7 in their 20 overs. For England, the wicket-takers included Liam Dawson (1/32), Adil Rashid (2/28), Will Jacks (2/23), and Rehan Ahmed (2/28).

Match Summary

Brief Score: New Zealand 159/7 in 20 overs (Glenn Phillips 39, Tim Seifert 35; Will Jacks 2/23) vs England 161/6 in 19.3 overs (Tom Banton 33, Will Jacks 32; Rachin Ravindra 3/19).