Will Jacks (32, 18b, 4×4, 1×6) and Rehan Ahmed (19 n.o., 7b, 1×4, 2×6) emerged as unlikely heroes for England, and landed a sucker punch on New Zealand with their unbeaten 44-run seventh-wicket alliance, snatching a four-wicket win of their T20 World Cup 2026 Tremendous Eight match on the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday.
With 43 wanted off the ultimate three overs, Rehan launched an assault towards Glenn Phillips with a waft over lengthy on. Jacks made essentially the most of short-pitched bowling to dispatch a most over long-on and two consecutive boundaries—first down the bottom after which via square-leg.
After Rehan’s reverse-sweep over short-third and a swat over long-off in Mitchell Santner’s over, England was simply 5 in need of the 160-run goal, with six balls in hand.
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Matt Henry’s bouncer ploy may solely delay the inevitable for 2 balls earlier than Jacks’ look down fine-leg acquired England the profitable runs.
However England’s restoration was a two-legged affair earlier than the late fireworks.
Deserted by its feeble prime order, Harry Brook and Jacob Bethell placed on 48 for the third wicket after England was decreased to 2 for 2. Brook was within the temper to tackle tempo, evident from his slap over cowl and a whip off his pads towards Henry. Bethell rode Lockie Ferguson’s bounce and thumped him via mid-on.
Their intent was the identical towards the spinners, and England was at par by the tip of the PowerPlay, sitting at 47 for 2. The innings segued into the second stage of restoration after the pair fell in successive overs instantly after the sector restrictions had been eased.
Brook fluffed his slap shot to long-off towards Phillips whereas Bethell picked the fielder at deep midwicket off Rachin Ravindra.
Sam Curran and Tom Banton endured until the fifteenth over, constructing their 42-run partnership on working between the wickets.
Curran’s solely streak of aggression got here with a slap via cowl off Ravindra within the eleventh over, and a pull over midwicket off Ish Sodhi within the 14th. Going for one more pull via the on-side, this time taking up the longer boundary, Curran holed out to deep midwicket off Ravindra.
England vs New Zealand Highlights
When Banton chased a pull from outdoors off and was snaffled within the deep, England seemed out of gasoline. However Rehan and Jacks produced a dramatic turnaround, which additionally saved Pakistan alive within the event.
Within the first innings, the spinners utilized a well timed squeeze on a flourishing innings to maintain the goal throughout the attain of the England batters.
The early nerves had been dispelled by Finn Allen as he hoicked Jofra Archer’s size supply over long-on. Allen stepped out towards Liam Dawson for his second most, this time clearing long-off.
Seifert took inspiration from his companion to gather 14 runs off Archer. Off consecutive deliveries, he lofted over cowl twice earlier than smoking a size ball deep into the stands past midwicket.
However one supply after getting slog-swept over deep midwicket, Adil Rashid lured Seifert together with his flight to beat him and get him stumped. Allen departed within the subsequent over, chipping a size ball to deep midwicket on the longer facet of the bottom.
Phillips was nonetheless on the hunt towards the spinners, selecting full-length deliveries for fast runs. Rashid’s googly landed within the radar for an across-the-line heave, to which Phillips added his aptitude, going for a no-look shot. Bethell overpitched to him, too, and was drilled alongside the bottom, the ball bisecting long-on and long-off.
However England’s insistence with spin paid off, and wickets on the different finish ultimately compelled Phillips into an error.
New Zealand misplaced Mark Chapman and Daryl Mitchell within the house of 12 runs. The squeeze across the Kiwis was firmly in place by the point Phillips departed within the 18th over. He didn’t account for the flip off Jacks on an tried slog-sweep and misplaced his off-stump.
Santner and Cole McConchie eked out 24 runs off the final three overs, however that was far lower than what England would handle later within the night.
Revealed on Feb 27, 2026