England vs New Zealand T20 World Cup 2026 Match Scorecard — England Win by 4 Wickets
England beat New Zealand by 4 wickets in a thrilling T20 World Cup 2026 Group Stage encounter played on Friday, February 27, 2026 (8:30 AM ET) at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat, posting 159/7 — but England chased it down in 19.3 overs, thanks to a stunning late cameo from Rehan Ahmed.
New Zealand Innings: 159/7 (20 Overs)
New Zealand's innings was anchored by Glenn Phillips (39 off 28) and Tim Seifert (35 off 25), but the middle order couldn't accelerate enough to push past 160.
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Seifert | 35 | 25 | 3 | 2 | 140.00 | Stumped b Rashid |
| Finn Allen | 29 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 152.63 | Caught b Jacks |
| Rachin Ravindra | 11 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 84.62 | Caught b Ahmed |
| Glenn Phillips | 39 | 28 | 4 | 1 | 139.29 | Bowled b Jacks |
| Mark Chapman | 15 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 166.67 | Stumped b Rashid |
| Daryl Mitchell | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 37.50 | Caught b Dawson |
| Mitchell Santner | 9* | 5 | 0 | 1 | 180.00 | Not out |
| Cole McConchie | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 116.67 | Bowled b Ahmed |
England Bowling:
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jofra Archer | 3 | 24 | 0 | 8.00 |
| Will Jacks | 4 | 23 | 2 | 5.75 |
| Adil Rashid | 4 | 28 | 2 | 7.00 |
| Liam Dawson | 4 | 32 | 1 | 8.00 |
| Rehan Ahmed | 3 | 28 | 2 | 9.33 |
| Jacob Bethell | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13.00 |
| Sam Curran | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10.00 |
England Innings: 161/6 (19.3 Overs) — Target: 160
England's chase wobbled badly at 2/2 inside the first two overs — Jos Buttler and Phil Salt both dismissed cheaply. Harry Brook (26 off 24) and Jacob Bethell (21 off 16) steadied the ship, before Sam Curran (24 off 22) and Tom Banton (33 off 24) built crucial partnerships. The game went deep, and when England needed 44 off the final three overs, Rehan Ahmed (19 off 7, with 2 sixes)* and Will Jacks (32 off 18)* produced a jaw-dropping match-winning stand to seal it with 3 balls to spare.
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phil Salt | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 | Caught b Henry |
| Jos Buttler | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | Caught b Ferguson |
| Harry Brook | 26 | 24 | 3 | 1 | 108.33 | Caught b Phillips |
| Jacob Bethell | 21 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 131.25 | Caught b Ravindra |
| Tom Banton | 33 | 24 | 2 | 1 | 137.50 | Caught b Ravindra |
| Sam Curran | 24 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 109.09 | Caught b Ravindra |
| Will Jacks | 32* | 18 | 4 | 1 | 177.78 | Not out |
| Rehan Ahmed | 19* | 7 | 1 | 2 | 271.43 | Not out |
New Zealand Bowling:
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Henry | 2.3 | 19 | 1 | 7.60 |
| Lockie Ferguson | 2 | 14 | 1 | 7.00 |
| Mitchell Santner | 4 | 29 | 0 | 7.25 |
| Cole McConchie | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13.00 |
| Glenn Phillips | 4 | 43 | 1 | 10.75 |
| Rachin Ravindra | 4 | 19 | 3 | 4.75 |
| Ish Sodhi | 2 | 21 | 0 | 10.50 |
Rehan Ahmed: The Match-Winning Hero
Rehan Ahmed was the undisputed star of England's dramatic chase. The leg-spin all-rounder had already claimed 2 wickets in the New Zealand innings — dismissing Ravindra and McConchie — before producing his defining moment with the bat. Needing runs fast with England's middle order gone, Ahmed smashed two sixes and a four in his 7-ball blitz, finishing unbeaten on 19 at a stunning strike rate of 271.43.
Ahmed's partnership with Will Jacks — 44 runs off just 16 balls — turned a near-impossible equation into a famous England victory and announced the young leg-spinner as one of T20 cricket's most dangerous match-winners in any situation.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka: T20 World Cup Match In Progress Now
The second T20 World Cup 2026 match of the day — Pakistan vs Sri Lanka — is currently in progress at the same venue in Colombo. Live scores and a full match scorecard will be available once the game concludes. Pakistan and England are both now in action during the group stage of what is shaping up to be a hotly contested T20 World Cup 2026 tournament.
