Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

GD Phillips
39(28) 4x4 - 1x6
Control %82%
  • Productive Shot
  • pull
  • 7 runs
  • 1x4 - 0x6
4 0 1 1 6 6 15 6
TL Seifert
35(25) 3x4 - 2x6
Control %52%
  • Productive Shot
  • off drive
  • 7 runs
  • 1x4 - 0x6
0 0 4 0 4 7 4 16

Best performances - Bowlers

R Ravindra
R Ravindra
O4
M0
R19
W3
Eco4.75
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
1W
1W
WG Jacks
O4
M0
R23
W2
Eco5.75
RHB
OFFLEG
1W1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF

Match Details

Toss

New Zealand , elected to bat first

Player Of The Match

Match number

Season

Hours of play (local time)

19.00 start, First Session 19.00-20.30, Interval 20.30-20.50, Second Session 20.50-22.20

Match days

27 February 2026 - night match (20-over match)

TV Umpires

Reserve Umpire

Match Referee

Points

England 2, New Zealand 0

Scorer: Thilak Ram | Commentator: Alan Gardner

10.40pm: Time for the presentations, starting with Mitch Santner: "Good match, tight match. Think the way they paced the chase, Jacks and Rehan with the finishing touches, it was a good bit of batting. Would have made our lives easier if we won. We played a pretty good game. Areas you can look back on with bat and ball, but credit to England. We set up a good platform, to scrape to 160 - could have been 170. Then with 40-odd from the last three, to take down the offie was good batting. [Shortcomings] Tonight we set a platform, got to the second timeout in a good spot then maybe took some tough options. We were thinking that 170-175 would have been a good score. [Rehan] He's showed his class with the bat, a good player of spin and he wasn't fazed. Set up by Bants and Curran after losing a few at the start."

England captain Harry Brook: "We've seen what Reh can do in the nets and he's gone out and played beautifully, taken it away from them. Along with Jacksy, his fourth MOM, pretty happy with that performance. We said at the start, we're going to select on conditions and we thought today was the perfect opportunity to bring him [Rehan] in and he did an amazing job. [NZ] Very strong side, we played against them before Christmas, they do everything so well, running between wickets and then some extreme power. [Buttler] Been a lot said, he's played 150 games for England and people need to take a step back from that. He's in a rut now but that's an exciting thing, to know what he could produce in the next couple of games. He's a phenomenal player and I've got no doubts about him. [Jacks] He's a proper batter, he showed it against West Indies last summer when he leant on one through cover. He's got first-class hundreds, he's played Test cricket and he's got immense power as well. [Semi-final opposition] Not bothered, whoever we're facing, it's going to be a tough opponent. Still haven't played that perfect game, particularly with the bat, but we've managed to get over the line in close games and in World Cups that holds you in good stead."

Phew. And breathe! Andrew Miller's report is on its way (possibly after a bit of a rewrite) and we'll be back for more tomorrow, with Pakistan's last-ditch shot at the semis. Thanks for all your comments, from myself, Miller and Thilak, it's goodnight and good luck. Cheerio!

10.28pm: What a sensational finish! England needed 43 from the last three, with four wickets standing - then Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed dropped the dynamite. New Zealand had them 2 for 2, then 58 for 4, then 117 for 6, but couldn't quite finish off the job. Their run rate might provide a buffer but Pakistan have hope, which is all they could ask for at this stage. England, meanwhile, have topped the group and will (almost certainly) head to Mumbai for the second semi-final

To confirm the maths for Pallekele tomorrow: Pakistan will need to beat SL by 64 runs or chase in 13.1 overs, otherwise NZ will go through and the first semi will be staged in Kolkata (unless SA lose to Zimbabwe and India somehow top Group 1)

Will Jacks is Player of the Match, his fourth award of the comp: "This is the bet, I'm buzzing to be not out at the end, having gone out on a knife edge, I'm over the moon. It's about keeping it simple. Rehan played a brilliant innings. Everyone struggled to get going on that pitch/ The six he hit second ball got them rattled and I fed off him. That over we spoke about taking a risk. Offspinner to right-handers, we thought that was our match-up. The other two, we just wanted to run hard. Feel confident right now, calm in the middle. That can be vital. We're going in the right direction, three wins in the Super Eight, we're very happy."

19.3
4
Henry to Jacks, FOUR, scuffed past the keeper, England win! It was back of a length, maybe pace off and deflected away to fine leg, actually off the helmet grille. But no matter, Jacks is the hero again, NZ denied (for now) - and Pakistan may yet be the beneficiaries!

"What just happened! I go for a coffee and the forecaster has just turned upside down." What do they say about staying in your spot, Akshay?

19.2
1
Henry to Rehan Ahmed, 1 run, short ball, follows Rehan as he gallops leg side and forehand smashes through midwicket for one more
19.1
1
Henry to Jacks, 1 run, shortish and swung away on the pull, just one to deep midwicket

Henry it is, pace for the last over. But England need less than a run a ball

END OF OVER:
19 | 16 Runs | ENG: 155/6 (5 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 8.15, RRR: 5.00)

  • Rehan Ahmed18 (6b)
  • Will Jacks27 (16b)
  • Mitchell Santner4-0-29-0
  • Glenn Phillips4-0-43-1

And suddenly England need 5 off 6 to keep NZ waiting on the semis!

"Call me old fashioned, but always pace at the death...." murmurs Tiggsy

18.6
6
Santner to Rehan Ahmed, SIX, MELTED OVER LONG-OFF! Rehan is doing it for the country of his fathers! Jumps down and carves this high into the Colombo sky. Not middled but he has just enough to clear Ferguson on the rope!

"Very much doable chase... unless some twist in the tale." This is not Afzal's first rodeo

18.5
1
Santner to Jacks, 1 run, pushed through wide of off and Jacks dabs it behind point

"Himanshu, go buy a lottery ticket man! Alan go get your humble pie buddy!" Wouldn't be the first time, Lakshman Kumar

18.4
2
Santner to Jacks, 2 runs, flighted, this spins away from the arc, but Jacks again cuts and gets two as Ferguson trundles around from long-off

England 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st2JC ButtlerPD Salt
2nd0JC ButtlerHC Brook
3rd48HC BrookJG Bethell
4th8T BantonJG Bethell
5th42SM CurranT Banton
6th17T BantonWG Jacks
7th44WG JacksRehan Ahmed

ICC Men's T20 World Cup

Super Eights, Group 1
TeamMWLPTNRR
SA33062.259
IND32140.106
WI31220.993
ZIM3030-3.415
Super Eights, Group 2
TeamMWLPTNRR
ENG33061.096
NZ31131.39
PAK3113-0.123
SL3030-1.95
Group A
TeamMWLPTNRR
IND44082.5
PAK43160.976
USA42240.788
NED4132-1.217
NAM4040-3.108
Group B
TeamMWLPTNRR
ZIM43071.506
SL43161.741
AUS42241.523
IRE41230.15
OMA4040-4.845
Group C
TeamMWLPTNRR
WI44081.874
ENG43160.201
SCOT41320.184
ITA4132-1.02
NEP4132-1.349
Group D
TeamMWLPTNRR
SA44081.943
NZ43161.227
AFG42240.889
UAE4132-1.364
CAN4040-2.426