New Zealand Vs England: Jacks and Rehan Ahmed Spark Thrilling Super 8s Comeback in Colombo
The Super 8s encounter between New Zealand and England produced a dramatic finish that felt vintage for England. New Zealand Vs England ended with England reaching 161-6 in 19. 3 overs to beat New Zealand, who posted 159-7, a four-wicket victory that was pulled from the brink and gives England momentum heading into the knockouts.
New Zealand Vs England: scoreline, location and the stakes
The match in Colombo finished with England 161-6 chasing a target of 160, completing the chase with three balls to spare. New Zealand posted 159-7 from their 20 overs. The result sealed England’s top spot in their Super 8s pool and left New Zealand sweating over their semi-final prospects; Pakistan still have a path to overhaul New Zealand in Group 2 with a big win over Sri Lanka.
Ahmed and Jacks produce the late blitz that changed the game
Will Jacks (32 not out off 18) and Rehan Ahmed (19 not out off 7) combined in an unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 44 from 16 deliveries to turn an unlikely chase into victory. England required 42 from three overs before the pair exploited an 18th over bowled by Glenn Phillips for 22, reducing the task dramatically. Ahmed followed by dominating Mitchell Santner in the 19th over and Jacks hit the winning runs off Matt Henry halfway through the 20th.
Rehan Ahmed’s late six — struck on his second ball after he emerged with England needing 43 from 19 — was singled out as the decisive blow that reignited the chase. The partnership effectively sealed a fifth successive win for England in the tournament.
Spin and a turning wicket set the scene
The pitch played like a turning wicket and the match was dominated by spin, with England’s spinners making important inroads. Rehan Ahmed finished with bowling figures of 2-28, Will Jacks took 2-23 and Adil Rashid also claimed two wickets as England restricted New Zealand to 159-7. Rachin Ravindra was the most successful New Zealand bowler with 3-19.
Individual contributions and context inside England’s squad
Tom Banton top-scored for England with 33 off 24. Harry Brook made 26 off 24 after his recent 50-ball hundred in the previous game, including a six that broke an LED screen, before being dismissed. Sam Curran (24 off 22) and Jacob Bethell (21 off 16) also chipped in. England entered the match already through to the knockout stages after earlier victories over Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Will Jacks added value with both ball and bat: two wickets, four overs for 23 runs, and his match-winning 32 from No. 7. This marked his fourth player-of-the-match award in seven tournament appearances, underlining a pattern of late-order heroics even as questions linger over the top order. Jos Buttler’s struggles continued with a two-ball duck — his fifth single-figure return in a row — and both openers were dismissed caught behind for low scores in consecutive matches.
Background, narratives and the Bazball connection
Jacks and Rehan Ahmed have been identified with the aggressive phase of England’s recent cricketing identity. Both made their Test debuts on the 2022 tour of Pakistan when Ben Stokes’ side were riding a wave; Jacks took six wickets in his first match and Ahmed took five, becoming the youngest man to play Test cricket for England. Ahmed earlier pipped Harry Brook in a six-hitting contest among the Test squad and was used as England’s first nighthawk during his debut in Karachi. Three and a half years on, the same duo produced a late surge in Colombo that echoed that momentum.
In the dressing-room moment that captured the aggressive mood, a message from Baz asked for Reh to bat in the style of Virender Sehwag, a direction that the young leg-spinner and hitter executed in the dying overs.
What the result means for the semis and New Zealand’s outlook
England will almost certainly play their semi-final in Mumbai on Thursday, March 5, most likely against either India or West Indies depending on the outcome of that side’s remaining Super 8s fixtures. New Zealand’s defeat hands Pakistan hope: Pakistan must beat Sri Lanka by a substantial margin to overhaul New Zealand on net run rate in Group 2. One specific scenario outlined is a Pakistan victory by 64 runs or a chase completed inside 13. 1 overs, a result described as unlikely but still mathematically possible. New Zealand will likely feature in the first semi on Wednesday unless Pakistan produce the required emphatic result in Pallekele.
Reactions, running themes and what to watch next
Mitchell Santner praised England’s ability to escape tricky positions and still find ways to win, noting the value of a team that can fight back. England’s accumulation of narrow victories is prompting debate over whether it is luck or quality; the recurring late-order contributions from players like Jacks and Ahmed suggest a blend of both. Meanwhile, New Zealand players were amused by their national anthem being played at speed before the game, a quirky prelude to a high-stakes contest.
Men’s T20 World Cup tables, top run-scorers & wicket-takers are being closely monitored as the tournament moves into the knockout phase. Details such as semi-final line-ups and net run-rate permutations remain in flux and will be clarified as remaining group fixtures conclude.
