By Asif Naveed
SPORTS DESK (MNN); England cricket team defeated New Zealand cricket team by four wickets in a pivotal Super Eight clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Friday, keeping Pakistan’s chances of reaching the semi-finals intact.
Chasing 160 at R. Premadasa Stadium, England reached 160 for six in the final over to seal victory in the Group Two encounter.
Earlier, New Zealand elected to bat after winning the toss and posted a competitive 159 for seven in their 20 overs.
New Zealand Set Testing Target
Openers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen gave the Black Caps a brisk start, putting on 64 runs for the first wicket with attacking stroke play. Seifert scored 35, while Allen added 29.
Glenn Phillips anchored the innings with a top score of 39. Rachin Ravindra managed 11 before being dismissed by Rehan Ahmed. Mark Chapman contributed 15, Daryl Mitchell was restricted to three, and skipper Mitchell Santner remained unbeaten on nine. Cole McConchie’s 14 late runs helped push the total close to the 160-mark.
For England, Adil Rashid, Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed claimed two wickets apiece, while Liam Dawson took one to keep New Zealand in check.
Qualification Battle Intensifies
The result has added fresh intrigue to the race for the semi-finals in Group Two.
Although England had already confirmed their place in the last four with earlier wins, their victory over New Zealand has revived Pakistan’s qualification hopes.
New Zealand now sit on three points from two matches and face uncertainty ahead of their final fixture. Pakistan, with one point from two games, must defeat Sri Lanka in their last Super Eight match in Pallekele to stay in contention.
If Pakistan secure a win and achieve a better net run rate than New Zealand, they could progress to the semi-finals, making the upcoming Pakistan-Sri Lanka clash decisive for the final group standings.
