After England beat New Zealand in Colombo, Pakistan stayed alive

Brief Scores: England (161/6 in 19.3 overs) beat New Zealand (159/7 in 20 overs) by 4 wickets in Colombo in a Super 8 match.

ENG vs NZ T20 WORLD CUP 2026: MAIN | SCORECARD

Pakistan stayed alive in the T20 World Cup after England outclassed New Zealand by four wickets in their Super 8 match at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday, February 27. England went through the Super 8 stage unbeaten with a win, while defeat left New Zealand’s semi-final fate hanging in the balance and no longer entirely in their own hands.

For Pakistan, the equation is now clear. Salman Agha’s men will have a lot to play for when they take on Sri Lanka in their final Super 8 match at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Saturday, February 28. A strong performance could see them through to the semi-finals, but a clean run could be crucial.

To qualify, Pakistan must either win by 65 runs or more or chase down the target in around 13 overs to secure the required clean run advantage. New Zealand, meanwhile, are left to watch and wait in the hope that Pakistan stumble and fail to overhaul them on pure speed. The race to the last four came down to fine edges and high drama.

ENGLAND ATTACK WITH SPIN

It was no surprise that New Zealand chose to bat first given how difficult the chase was in Colombo. Jofra Archer got off to a great start, winning the maiden, while Tim Seifert survived an early recall. After a cautious start, Seifert and Finn Allen shifted gears and played their strokes fluently to guide New Zealand to 54 in the powerplay without losing a wicket.

England responded strongly, striking twice in quick succession. Adil Rashid provided the breakthrough by dismissing Seifert for 35 off 25 balls and Will Jacks removed the dangerous Allen, who looked menacing in his 29 off 19. From then on, England relied heavily on spin, with their pacers bowling just four overs in total, a tactical decision that reflected the significant assistance the pitch offered the spinners.

After Seifert and Allen were dismissed, Rachin Ravindra was unable to make an impact. Glenn Phillips, batting at No. 4, held one end with a brisk 39 off 28 balls, including four boundaries and a six. During their stay, Mark Chapman and Cole McConchie contributed useful knocks of 15 and 14 respectively, keeping the scoreboard moving.

Mitchell Santner ensured New Zealand finished strongly when he hit Rehan Ahmed for a six on the last ball of the innings. For England, Rashid, Jacks and Rehan claimed two wickets each, while Liam Dawson took the wicket of Daryl Mitchell. Sam Curran had an off day after conceding 10 runs in a single over.

NEW ZEALAND JOLT ENGLAND EARLY

New Zealand got off to a dream start when Matt Henry removed the dangerous Phil Salt early on. Henry had even more reason to celebrate as he was due to return home for the birth of his second child. England’s woes deepened as Jose Buttler’s slim patch continued; fell scoreless to Lockie Ferguson. It was the fifth match in a row in which Buttler was dismissed for single-digit scores, underscoring his long-term decline in form.

With both openers back in the pavilion, Harry Brook and Jacob Bethell leveled the innings, guiding England to 47 in the powerplay and restoring some momentum. Fresh from his century against Pakistan, Brook once again looked ominous at No. 3 and smashed Henry’s gutsy six over square leg. Just when he looked ready to accelerate, Glenn Phillips caught him at long-on for 26.

Rachin Ravindra, who impressed with the ball against Sri Lanka, struck another crucial blow by dismissing Bethell for a brisk 21 off 16. Phillips, however, got a lot of credit as he produced a superb low long-leaping catch inches from the turf.

REHAN, JACKS TAKE ENGLAND HOME

At the halfway stage, with England still requiring 96 runs, New Zealand had a slight lead. Tom Banton and Sam Curran began to tip the balance back and added 42 runs before Ravindra broke the partnership by removing Curran.

Chasing 59 from the last five overs, England needed something special. Ravindra delivered another decisive blow when he dismissed Banton for 33 to finish with excellent figures of 4-0-19-3. However, with 43 needed from 18 balls, England refused to back down.

In the 18th over, Rehan Ahmed and Will Jacks launched a counter-attack and plundered 22 runs to stir the momentum. The equation narrowed to 21 off 12 balls, making the contest even. Rehan then took on Mitchell Santner in the 19th over, smashing a four and a six to collect 16 runs and reduce the target to just five off the last over.

Will Jacks sealed the deal by hitting Henry for a boundary to steer England home. Jacks remained unbeaten on 32 off 18 balls while Rehan’s explosive 19 off seven capped an unbroken 44-run partnership that carried England over the line.

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

27 Feb 2026 22:33 IST