Eng Vs Nz: England chase down 160 to hobble New Zealand’s semi-final hopes
In the eng vs nz clash in Colombo, England chased 160 to win by four wickets with three balls to spare, a result that leaves New Zealand’s path to the last four dependent on other results.
England finish top of Group 2 after tense Super 8s victory
England will finish top of Group 2 in the Super 8s after the win, having already been through to the semi-finals before the match. The victory came when a ball struck Will Jacks’ helmet and ran for four, sealing an unbroken 44-run stand between Jacks and Rehan Ahmed that got England over the line. England slip to 2-2 in the tournament record after a match in which Jos Buttler was out for a two-ball duck, continuing what was described as a miserable run for the batter.
Eng Vs Nz: Jacks and Ahmed seal the chase
Jacks and Rehan Ahmed together put on an unbroken 44 to finish the chase, and the match turned on a late moment when the ball hit Jacks’ helmet and went for four. Rehan Ahmed, brought into the side in place of Jamie Overton for his T20 World Cup debut at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 27, also shone with the ball and bat in the fixture.
Spin attack, wickets and Brook’s defence of Buttler
England bowled a record 16 overs of spin during the match. Rashid, Jacks and Ahmed each took two wickets as the bowling attack exploited turning conditions. England captain Harry Brook addressed Buttler’s form directly, saying Buttler has played 150 games for England, is probably the best white-ball player to play the game, and is in a rut but could produce something special in the next few games: “He’s got fire in his belly and wants to show people what he’s made of. He’s a phenomenal player and I’ve no doubt he’ll go out and do well. ” Brook also praised Will Jacks as “a proper batter” who has played Test cricket and “has immense power, ” recalling Jacks leaning on the first ball through the covers for four or two in a match against West Indies. On the prospect of a semi-final in Mumbai against India or West Indies, Brook said: “We’re not bothered. Whoever we’re facing, they’re going to be tough opposition. We’ve already played West Indies at the Wankhede. ”
Rehan Ahmed strikes on first ball, and his background
Rehan Ahmed made an immediate impact when he was brought on to attack in the 12th over, striking on the very first ball of his over to dismiss Rachin Ravindra. The 21-year-old leg-spinner was included in England’s playing eleven for the crucial match and his change paid off instantly by providing a breakthrough at a key stage. Rehan was born in Nottingham in 2004, three years after his family moved to the United Kingdom; his parents were born in Pakistan, his father was a former fast-bowling all-rounder who moved to the UK in 2001, and the family has roots in Mirpur in Pakistan occupied Kashmir.
New Zealand’s tournament picture and other Sri Lanka result
Defeat for New Zealand opens a route to the semi-finals for Pakistan, who must beat Sri Lanka on Saturday and rely on a net run-rate swing. The tournament schedule notes Pakistan vs Sri Lanka at 13: 15 GMT on Saturday. Separately, in Colombo a different match saw Rachin Ravindra take 4-27 as Sri Lanka slipped to 107-8 while chasing 169, and New Zealand’s Mitch Santner and Cole McConchie earlier lifted their side to 168-7 with Santner scoring 47 off 26 and McConchie 31 off 23. In that contest New Zealand had briefly been 84-6 after losing three wickets for no runs, and Sri Lanka’s spinners Theekshana and Chameera each took three wickets. Santner reflected that the pitch offered turning later in games and that 160 was “not a bad total from there. ” He warned that facing England next would be fast turnaround and “might be a bit of a slog-fest. ” Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka called the performance embarrassing for the home crowd, said the decision to bat was collective, and added they had not expected the pitch to turn so much; he said Sri Lanka wanted to restrict New Zealand to 130 and hoped the side could finish their next game on a high.
Match extras, commentary and where to read more
Listeners can follow Radio 5 Live Sport commentary at the top of the page, and readers are invited to have their say using the 'Get Involved' button on the page. A note on the match coverage states this Flourish post cannot be displayed in your browser and asks readers to enable Javascript or try a different browser. For a fuller match report, check Matthew Henry’s report on England’s four-wicket win.
The immediate confirmed schedule sees Pakistan face Sri Lanka at 13: 15 GMT on Saturday, a result that New Zealand will be watching with interest; other upcoming fixtures mentioned in the coverage include West Indies vs South Africa at 09: 30 GMT and India vs Zimbabwe at 13: 30 GMT the following day.
