Already through to the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, England national cricket team continued their dominant run in the Super Eights stage with a four-wicket win over the New Zealand national cricket team in Colombo on Friday.
With this victory, England maintained a perfect record in the Super Eights, registering three wins in as many matches. While their semi-final berth was already secured, the result has added fresh intrigue to Group 2 by keeping Pakistan national cricket team in contention for the final four.
Group 2 Scenario: Pakistan Still in the Race
Following the match, New Zealand sit second in Group 2 with three points, while Pakistan are third with one point. To qualify for the semi-finals, Pakistan must defeat an already-eliminated Sri Lanka national cricket team on Saturday — and do so by a significant margin to surpass New Zealand on net run rate.
The equation is clear: a big win is mandatory for Pakistan to dislodge the Black Caps from the second spot and book a place in the knockouts.
New Zealand’s Promising Starts Go in Vain
Opting to bat first, New Zealand posted 159 for 7 in their 20 overs. Several batters got starts but failed to convert them into substantial scores.
- Glenn Phillips top-scored with 39.
- Tim Seifert made 35.
- Finn Allen contributed 29.
- Mark Chapman chipped in with 15.
Despite decent foundations, the innings lacked the acceleration required in the death overs, preventing them from crossing the 170-mark.
England’s bowlers shared the workload effectively. Will Jacks (2/23), Adil Rashid (2/28) and Rehan Ahmed (2/28) were the standout performers, while Liam Dawson also claimed a wicket.
England Recover From Shaky Start in Chase
Chasing 160, England did not have the smoothest of beginnings and lost early wickets. However, measured contributions from the middle order ensured they stayed on course.
- Tom Banton scored 33.
- Will Jacks anchored the innings with an unbeaten 32.
- Captain Harry Brook made 26.
- Sam Curran added 24.
- Rehan Ahmed remained not out on 19 to seal the contest.
England reached 161 for 6 in 19.3 overs, completing the chase with three balls to spare.
For New Zealand, Rachin Ravindra was the pick of the bowlers with impressive figures of 3 for 19, but his effort proved insufficient to defend the total.
Brief Scores
New Zealand: 159/7 in 20 overs (Glenn Phillips 39, Tim Seifert 35; Will Jacks 2/23)
England: 161/6 in 19.3 overs (Will Jacks 32*; Rachin Ravindra 3/19)
With England cruising into the semi-finals unbeaten in the Super Eights, all eyes now turn to Pakistan’s must-win clash against Sri Lanka. The final semi-final spot from Group 2 hangs delicately on net run rate calculations — setting up a high-stakes encounter in Colombo.