New Zealand’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup now hang in the balance after a dramatic defeat to England in Colombo. The Black Caps needed a victory on Friday night to seal their place in the last four, but England spoiled those plans with a thrilling last-over win to maintain their perfect Super 8 record. The result has left New Zealand in an uncomfortable position.
Their qualification now depends on the final Super 8 clash between the Sri Lanka and Pakistan national cricket teams. If Pakistan register a big win and surpasses New Zealand on net run rate, the Black Caps will be eliminated from the tournament. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner admitted the team faces a nervous wait as they watch the final group match unfold.
“Pretty nervous,” Mitchell Santner said while reflecting on the situation. “There’ll be some nerves watching tomorrow, just to see what happens. But it’s out of our control; we can’t really do much. We’re just going to wait and see whether we get on a plane to India or head back home to New Zealand. We would have made things a lot easier if we had won tonight.”
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New Zealand actually found themselves in a strong position at multiple stages of the match. Batting first, they were cruising at 123 for 3 after 14 overs, setting the platform for a big total. However, their momentum faded badly in the final phase of the innings, as they managed only 36 runs from the last six overs.
Despite the below-par finish, New Zealand fought back strongly with the ball. England were struggling at 117 for 6, needing 43 runs from the final three overs. But the English middle order turned the game around in spectacular fashion. Santner admitted the defeat came down to small moments that slipped away from his side.
“We had it in our control,” he said. “We did a lot of good things throughout the game and even in the last couple of matches. But it’s always those little moments where we could have been sharper, whether in execution or in the field. Credit to England for the way they finished the chase.”
England captain Harry Brook praised the impact of young leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, who delivered a crucial all-round performance. Ahmed returned figures of 2 for 28 with the ball and later smashed an unbeaten 19 off just seven deliveries to guide England home alongside Will Jacks, who finished on 32 not out.
“We’ve seen what Reh can do in the nets,” Harry Brook said. “He went out there and played beautifully. Along with Jacksy, he helped take the game away from them. We picked him based on the conditions and he did an amazing job.”
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Meanwhile, England opener Jos Buttler endured another disappointing outing, registering a duck once again. However, Brook dismissed concerns around the experienced batter’s form. “A lot has been said about him,” Harry Brook explained. “But he’s played more than 150 games for England. People need to take a step back. He’s in a bit of a rut right now, but that’s also exciting because we know what he’s capable of producing when he clicks.”
