New Zealand Vs England: Ahmed and Jacks steer England into Super 8s summit with late stand
In the new zealand vs england Super 8s clash in Colombo, Rehan Ahmed and Will Jacks put on an unbroken 44 to get England home, chasing 160 and winning by four wickets with three balls to spare.
Match-winning partnership finished it
England were 117-6 with three overs remaining before Ahmed (19 not out) and Jacks (32 not out) combined in a 44-run, seventh-wicket stand from 16 deliveries. The pair smoked Glenn Phillips’s 18th over for 22, then Ahmed dominated Mitchell Santner’s 19th over for 15 and Jacks struck the winning boundary off Matt Henry halfway through the 20th when the ball hit Jacks’ helmet and ran for four.
Bowling, scores and key performers
New Zealand finished 159-7 from 20 overs after electing to bat. Glenn Phillips made 39 off 28 balls and Tim Seifert scored 35 off 25. England’s spinners took control: Rehan Ahmed 2-28, Will Jacks 2-23 and Adil Rashid 2-28, while Liam Dawson took 1-32. England replied 161-6 in 19. 3 overs with Tom Banton top-scoring on the night with 33 off 24. Harry Brook made 26 off 24, Sam Curran 24 off 22 and Jacob Bethell 21 off 16. Rachin Ravindra finished with 3-19 for New Zealand.
New Zealand Vs England: what the result leaves on the table
The victory guarantees England top spot in Group 2 of the Super 8s and, by extension, a place in the semi-finals. England were already through to the knockout stages after earlier wins over Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and the side will almost certainly be in the second semi-final in Mumbai next Thursday, most likely on March 5 and probably against India or West Indies. coverage said England will finish top of Group 2 in the Super 8s but who they’ll play in the last four is TBC.
Pressure on New Zealand and the Pakistan scenario
New Zealand’s defeat opens the door for Pakistan. Pakistan must beat Sri Lanka on Saturday and rely on a net run-rate swing to overhaul the Black Caps; if Pakistan thump Sri Lanka by a big enough margin in Pallekele on Saturday, they could displace New Zealand for a semi-final spot. Coverage noted fans should watch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka at 13: 15 GMT (8: 15 a. m. ET) on Saturday, a match New Zealand will be watching with interest.
Individual notes and reaction
Rehan Ahmed starred with bat and ball on his T20 World Cup debut, taking a wicket with his first ball and finishing 19 not out off seven as part of the late surge. Jos Buttler’s woes continued: he was out for a two-ball duck, described as his fifth single-figure return in a row and part of a “miserable run” that left England’s tournament record slipping to 2-2 in one account. Harry Brook defended Buttler, saying Buttler has played 150 games for England, is probably the best white-ball player to play the game, is in a rut and has “fire in his belly. ”
Brook also praised Will Jacks as “a proper batter” who has played Test cricket and has “immense power, ” recalling a shot through the covers early in the summer against West Indies. Brook added that facing India or West Indies in a Mumbai semi would be tough opposition, that England had already played West Indies at the Wankhede, and that it would be nice to return there.
Small moments and closing details
The contest featured a handful of dramatic moments: Brook hit a nonchalant six off Matt Henry that broke an LED screen before holing out to Phillips, who then took a diving catch to remove Jacob Bethell at deep midwicket. Commentators noted that New Zealand’s anthem was played at warp-speed before the match, to much amusement. Fans were invited to listen to Radio 5 Live Sport commentary and to use the Get Involved button on the page, and readers were pointed to Matthew Henry’s match report for more detail.
England will head toward the semi-finals in Mumbai; New Zealand’s fate now hinges on Pakistan’s result in Pallekele on Saturday, and England’s likely semi-final date is Thursday, March 5 in Mumbai.
