New Zealand Vs England: Rehan Ahmed and Will Jacks steer England into semi-finals
In a match billed as a Group 2 Super 8s decider, new zealand vs england ended with England chasing 160 and winning by four wickets with three balls to spare — a result that dents New Zealand’s semi-final hopes and hands Pakistan a path back into contention.
New Zealand Vs England: Rehan Ahmed and Will Jacks seal a Colombo thriller
Leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, on T20 World Cup debut, finished with 2-28 and then smashed an unbeaten 19 off seven balls in a 44-run, seventh-wicket stand with Will Jacks (32 not out off 18). The pair got England over the line with three balls to spare; the winning boundary came when the ball hit Jacks’ helmet and ran for four.
Spin-heavy attack and the 16 overs of spin
England earlier restricted New Zealand to 159-7 in 20 overs. The three frontline spinners — Rehan Ahmed, Will Jacks and Adil Rashid — took two wickets apiece, and England bowled a record 16 overs of spin in the match. Ahmed also took a wicket with his first ball of the game.
Match details and key innings
New Zealand 159-7 from 20 overs (elected to bat): Glenn Phillips 39 off 28, Tim Seifert 35 off 25. Bowling returns listed included Will Jacks 2-23, Adil Rashid 2-28 and Rehan Ahmed 2-28. England’s batting card showed Tom Banton top-scoring with 33 off 24; Harry Brook made 26 off 24 and Sam Curran 24 off 22. Rachin Ravindra finished with 3-19 for New Zealand.
Decisive late overs: Phillips, Santner and Henry
England were 117-6 with three overs remaining before Ahmed and Jacks took control. The pair smoked the 18th over, bowled by Glenn Phillips, for 22; Ahmed dominated Mitchell Santner’s 19th over for 15 runs, and Jacks hit the winning runs off Matt Henry in the 20th. Earlier in England’s chase Harry Brook produced a 26-ball 26, including a flick for six off Henry that broke an LED screen, before holing out off Phillips; Phillips then took a diving catch to remove Jacob Bethell.
Buttler’s form and England’s tournament position
Jos Buttler was out for a two-ball duck — his fifth single-figure return in a row — as England’s tournament struggles continued and the side are noted in match coverage as slipping to 2-2. At the same time England were already through to the knockout stages after wins over Sri Lanka and Pakistan and will finish top of Group 2 in the Super 8s, though their semi-final opponent was listed as to be confirmed.
What the result means for New Zealand and Pakistan
Defeat for New Zealand opens the door for Pakistan, who must beat Sri Lanka on Saturday and rely on a net run-rate swing to overhaul the Black Caps. The Pakistan vs Sri Lanka fixture is scheduled for Saturday at 13: 15 GMT (8: 15 a. m. ET). New Zealand will be watching that match closely; they were listed as likely to feature in the first semi on Wednesday unless Pakistan overturn the net run rate in Pallekele on Saturday.
Match coverage also noted a lighthearted moment before play when New Zealand’s national anthem was played at warp-speed to much amusement. Readers were invited to follow live radio commentary and to use a site 'Get Involved' button; one embedded Flourish post on the match page could not be displayed in some browsers. A separate written match report by Matthew Henry was highlighted for readers seeking reaction and detail.
Captain Harry Brook addressed teammates’ form after the win, defending Buttler and praising Will Jacks. Brook said Buttler had played 150 games for England, called him "probably the best white-ball player to play the game, " and added that Buttler was "in a rut" but had "fire in his belly" and would come good. On Jacks, Brook called him "a proper batter, " noted he had played Test cricket and had "immense power. " On the prospect of facing India or West Indies in a Mumbai semi-final, Brook said the opponents would be tough but that England would focus on "the little things. "
England are set to play in the second semi-final in Mumbai on Thursday, March 5. Pakistan’s match with Sri Lanka on Saturday at 13: 15 GMT (8: 15 a. m. ET) remains the immediate next fixture that could yet decide New Zealand’s path to the last four.
