In a thrilling Super Eight encounter at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, England produced a remarkable late-innings recovery to defeat New Zealand by four wickets at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, keeping their perfect Super 8 record intact and profoundly impacting the semifinal race. Chasing 160 to win, England looked in trouble at 117 for 6 but a breathtaking 44-run unbroken blitz from Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed swung the match in dramatic fashion and secured victory with three balls to spare.
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New Zealand post competitive total
New Zealand posted a competitive 159 for 7 in their 20 overs on a surface offering some assistance to spin. The Black Caps got useful starts from Glenn Phillips (39), Tim Seifert (35) and Finn Allen (29), but regular wickets in the middle overs stifled their momentum. England’s spin attack, including Will Jacks (2/23), Adil Rashid (2/28) and Rehan Ahmed (2/28), tightened the scoring and ensured the total remained within reach.
Jacks-Ahmed show turns the tide
England’s chase began poorly as they lost early wickets and looked to be heading for defeat. Harry Brook (26) and Jacob Bethell (21) steadied the innings briefly, with contributions also from Tom Banton (33) and Sam Curran, but it was the late assault that defined the contest. Will Jacks, named Player of the Match, scored a brisk 32 off 18 balls, while World Cup debutant Rehan Ahmed smashed 19 off 7. Together they smashed 44 runs in just 16 deliveries, overturning New Zealand’s advantage and guiding England to 161 for 6 in 19.3 overs.
Will Jacks enters history books
The England star has produced 'player of the match' performances vs Nepal (1/17 and 39* off 18), Italy (1/34 and 53* off 22), Sri Lanka (3/22 and 21 off 14) & New Zealand (2/23 and 32* off 18) showcasing his value as an off-spin bowling allrounder. He became only the second player after Shane Watson in the history of the tournament to win four Player of the Match awards in a single edition.
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England top super 8 group
The win sealed England’s place as Group 2 toppers with three wins from three Super Eight matches. Their unbeaten run through the second round underlines a potent blend of aggressive batting, disciplined spin bowling and a resilience that has kept them ahead of strong competition. They will now play their semi-finals on March 5 at Wankhede, most probably against the winner of India vs West Indies match.
New Zealand’s hopes hang in balance
For New Zealand, the defeat leaves their semifinal hopes in serious jeopardy. A win here would have secured their progress, but instead they must now wait on the result of the Sri Lanka vs Pakistan match. With Pakistan needing a strong victory to overhaul New Zealand on net run rate, the Black Caps’ fate hinges on other results as the race to the semifinals intensifies.
Pakistan remain alive
England’s victory has kept Pakistan’s tournament hopes alive. Pakistan enter their final Super Eight fixture knowing that a convincing win, preferably by a big margin, could see them leapfrog New Zealand into the final four, given the tight net run rate scenarios. As per reports, a margin of around 65-run or a chase in about 13 overs is what Pakistan needs to progress. A tense finish to the group stage awaits the teams and fans alike.
