Colombo, February 28: In a thrilling encounter during the Super-8 round of the T20 World Cup 2026, England defeated New Zealand by four wickets on Friday. Chasing a target of 160 runs set by New Zealand, England successfully reached the target with three balls to spare, thanks to a remarkable performance from Will Jacks.
England’s innings began poorly, with Phil Salt dismissed for just two runs by Matt Henry. The struggling Jos Buttler followed suit, returning to the pavilion without scoring. After losing two quick wickets, captain Harry Brook and Jacob Bethel attempted to stabilize the innings, adding 48 runs for the third wicket. Brook scored 26 runs off 24 balls, while Bethel contributed 21 runs with the help of four boundaries.
At 58 runs, England found themselves in trouble, having lost four wickets. However, Sam Curran and Tom Banton steadied the ship, putting together a partnership of 42 runs for the fifth wicket. Curran scored 24 runs off 22 balls, while Banton hit three fours and a six to finish with 33 runs. England was in a precarious position at 117 runs with six wickets down, and victory seemed distant.
Nevertheless, Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed turned the tide with an unbeaten partnership of 44 runs off just 16 balls, leading England to a four-wicket victory. Jacks scored 32 runs off 18 balls, including a pivotal 22 runs in the 18th over against Glenn Phillips. Rehan contributed 19 runs off seven balls, sealing the win for his team.
In the bowling department for New Zealand, Rachin Ravindra took three wickets for 19 runs, while Matt Henry and Phillips claimed one wicket each.
Earlier, New Zealand won the toss and opted to bat, scoring 159 runs for the loss of seven wickets in their 20 overs. Tim Seifert and Finn Allen provided a strong start, adding 64 runs for the first wicket in just 6.6 overs. Seifert scored 35 runs off 25 balls, while Allen contributed 29 runs off 19 balls.
Glenn Phillips was the standout performer for New Zealand, scoring 39 runs off 28 balls, while Daryl Mitchell and Mark Chapman managed only three and 15 runs, respectively. Captain Mitchell Santner remained not out on nine runs.
For England, Adil Rashid took two wickets for 28 runs in his four overs, while Will Jacks also claimed two wickets for 23 runs. Rehan Ahmed contributed by dismissing two New Zealand batsmen. With this defeat, New Zealand’s path to the semi-finals has become challenging, and they will now hope for Sri Lanka to defeat Pakistan in the upcoming match on Saturday.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
