England kept their Super Eight momentum alive with a dramatic four-wicket win over New Zealand in their final ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 clash in Colombo on Friday (27).
Chasing 160, England stumbled to 58/4 but a resilient middle and lower-order partnership guided them home in 19.3 overs. Tom Banton (33) and Sam Curran (24) laid the foundation before Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed delivered the finishing touches, with Jacks smashing an unbeaten 32 off 18 balls, including four fours and a six.
England’s spin attack dominated New Zealand’s innings, bowling them out to 159/7. Adil Rashid led the charge with 2/28, Will Jacks chipped in with 2/23, while debutant Rehan Ahmed made an immediate impact, taking two wickets in his three overs. Liam Dawson also contributed with the wicket of Daryl Mitchell.
New Zealand began strongly with Finn Allen (29) and Tim Seifert (35) putting on a 54-run powerplay stand. Glenn Phillips top-scored with 39 off 28 and produced a stunning diving catch to dismiss Jacob Bethell, keeping the Black Caps competitive. Matt Henry struck early, while Lockie Ferguson accounted for Jos Buttler, reducing England to 2/2 in the opening over.
The loss leaves New Zealand’s semi-final hopes uncertain, with their fate now tied to the result of the Pakistan–Sri Lanka clash on Saturday. England, accordingly, complete their Super Eight campaign with a perfect three-win run, showcasing depth, resilience, and a lethal spin arsenal.
