TOP STORIES

England beat New Zealand, open door for Pakistan to push for a semi-final place

Friday, 27-Feb-2026 ● 1 day ago
News

England beat New Zealand by 4 wickets on Friday night in Colombo in a decisive Super 8 clash at the 2026 T20 World Cup, opening the door for Pakistan to push through to the final four. Deciding to bat, New Zealand looked poised for a big total early on. After openers Finn Allen and Tim Seifert came out all guns blazing and put England’s attack under immediate pressure.

Allen struck a brisk 29, while Seifert added 35. However, England’s bowlers showed composure and discipline to wrest control back. The turning point came through their spinners as Adil Rashid, Rehan Ahmed, and Will Jacks each picked up two crucial wickets. Their combined efforts restricted New Zealand’s momentum and limited them to 159/7 in 20 overs.

In reply, England’s chase began on shaky ground as Buttler went for a duck and Salt for two runs. Early wickets left them reeling, but the middle order steadied the innings. Tom Banton anchored the recovery with a composed 33, and Harry Brook added 26 valuable runs. Jacob Bethell contributed a handy 21, while Sam Curran chipped in with 24. Meanwhile, the finishing touches were applied by Rehan Ahmed and Will Jacks, putting on an unbroken 44 to carry England across the line with three balls to spare.



Tags

More News

News

"We were loud and clear": Ex-Pakistan batter slams team's disappointing campaign at T20 World Cup

31 mins ago

Former Pakistan skipper Mohammad Yousuf has strongly criticized the Salman Agha-led side after their premature exit from the T20 World Cup 2026, questioning both leadership and overall performance. Pakistan’s campaign came to an end on Saturday despite a narrow five-run victory over Sri Lanka in their final Super Eight Group 2 match in Pallekele. 

Pakistan finished level on three poi...


News

"I have 11 dangerous players": Daren Sammy ahead of India vs West Indies clash

1 hr ago

As the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup reaches a boiling point, there is huge anticipation ahead of the high-stakes showdown between India and the West Indies in Kolkata on Sunday. For both teams, it is a must-win game to book a spot in the semi-finals. And according to West Indies head coach Daren Sammy, the task at han...


News

Schedule confirmed for Australia women's tour of West Indies

3 hrs ago

Australia’s long-awaited return to the Caribbean will feature an all-white-ball assignment, with the anticipated historic Test match no longer part of the schedule. Cricket West Indies has unveiled the schedule for the tour, which begins on March 19. Instead of a multi-format series, the campaign will now have six limited-overs games as both teams begin prepara...


News

Sanath Jayasuriya set to leave role as Sri Lanka head coach

4 hrs ago

Sri Lanka's head coach, Sanath Jayasuriya, has indicated that he will step down from his role following the team's early exit from the ongoing T20 World Cup. His announcement came in the aftermath of a heartbreaking five-run defeat to Pakistan that sealed Sri Lanka’s elimination from the tournament. Speaking after the loss in Pallekele on Saturday, Jayasuriya revealed that he h...


News

It's do-or-die in Kolkata as India and West Indies fight for a semi-final berth

5 hrs ago

There are matches that shape tournaments, and then there are matches that define them, and Sunday’s clash between India and West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata falls squarely into the latter category. The face-off has been labelled a “virtual quarterfinal,” because one semifinal spot remains in Group 1. Both India and West Indies are in contention with n...