Colombo, Feb 28: England secured a crucial six-wicket victory over New Zealand in the Super Eight stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Friday night, keeping the semi-final race wide open.
After winning the toss and opting to bat first, New Zealand posted 159/7 in their allotted 20 overs. Glenn Phillips top-scored with 39 runs, while Tim Seifert contributed 35 and Finn Allen added 29. Mark Chapman (15), Cole McConchie (14), and Rachin Ravindra (11) chipped in with useful runs.
For England, Adil Rashid, Will Jacks, and Rehan Ahmed claimed two wickets each, while Liam Dawson picked up one.
Chasing a target of 160, England reached 161/6 in 19.3 overs. Tom Banton led the charge with 33 runs, followed by Will Jacks (32), captain Harry Brook (26), Sam Curran (24), Jacob Bethell (21), and Rehan Ahmed (19), guiding the team home with three balls to spare.
Rachin Ravindra impressed with the ball for New Zealand, taking three wickets, while Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, and Glenn Phillips grabbed one apiece.
Points Table & Semi-Final Equation
With this win, England climbed to the top of Group 2 with six points from three matches. New Zealand sit second with three points from the same number of games. Pakistan, having played one match fewer, have one point, while Sri Lanka remain without a point.
The final Group 2 fixture between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will now determine the second semi-finalist. Pakistan must defeat Sri Lanka by 64 runs or chase down the target within 13.1 overs to qualify. Otherwise, New Zealand will progress to the semi-finals.
The Super Eight battle promises a thrilling finish as the race for the last semi-final spot intensifies.
