ENG vs NZ Highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: Lifeline for Pakistan as England beat New Zealand to top Super 8 group

Spinners stifle after explosive PP - The Kiwis had a strong start with the bat. Their openers, Finn Allen and Tim Seifert, gave the start what any team would love to have in this short format. They had a partnership of 64 runs off 42 balls. In the seventh over, it's Adil Rashid who broke the partnership, picking the wicket of Tim Seifert. After that dismissal, the game opened up for the Three Lions. The Kiwis were forming firm partnerships, but when the batters were trying to accelerate, the English bowlers were chipping with wickets. Glenn Phillips was the man in the middle order who stayed on for quite a long time, scoring 39 runs, but he also got eliminated by Will Jacks right in time.

Evens-stevens? Probably. The Kiwis would be roughly eventually happy with the score, but England would be more than happy for pulling things back really strongly. Remember New Zealand's last match? They posted 168 and they won the clash by 61 runs against Sri Lanka. Well, if we compare the two innings, they are 9 runs short this time, but if the Kiwi spinners react well, it's going to be an entertaining chase after the break.

Rehan Ahmed to Mitchell Santner, SIX! Clean as a whistle! Tossed up, outside off, Mitchell Santner comes down the track and lofts it straight back over the bowler. Clears long off with ease and NEW ZEALAND FINISH ON 159/7!

Rehan Ahmed to Mitchell Santner, Full, outside off, no pace offered, Mitchell Santner goes for a big slog sweep but misses.

Rehan Ahmed to Matt Henry, Full, on middle, chipped down to long on for a single.

3 balls left. Matt Henry walks in next, at number 9, replacing Cole McConchie.

Rehan Ahmed to Cole McConchie, OUT! BOWLED! Rehan bounces back. 7th wicket down and all the wickets have gone to spin! Second for this leggie. Tossed up, but not too much flight, around the leg stump. Cole McConchie gets down on a knee and looks to play the slog sweep but misses. The ball lands and then bounces low a touch, spinning past the outside edge and shatters the stumps. 97/2 BECOMES 152/7!

Rehan Ahmed to Cole McConchie, FOUR! 150 UP FOR NEW ZEALAND. McConchie comes down the track and converts this into a full toss. Whips it towards long on who comes running in, but the ball lands and skids through, taking the fielder by surprise. He misses and the Kiwis profit with a boundary.

Rehan Ahmed to Mitchell Santner, Outside off, punched through the covers for a single.

200? 160 looks out of bounds now. How much can New Zealand get in the final over? Rehan Ahmed will bowl the 16th over of spin, the most by any English team in a T20 World Cup match!

Adil Rashid to Cole McConchie, Tossed up, outside off, Cole McConchie winds up for the massive slog sweep but misses as the ball pitches and then spins away past the outside edge. Just 5 runs from the 19th over! Rashid finishes with bowling figures of 4-0-28-2.

Adil Rashid to Cole McConchie, Outside off, pretty full, CM brings out the reverse sweep now. Gets it through point for a couple.

Adil Rashid to Cole McConchie, Landed outside off, another sweep shot employed, but does not result in anything.

Adil Rashid to Cole McConchie, Full, around off, Cole looks to play the slog sweep but gets a bottom edge onto his pads.

Adil Rashid to Cole McConchie, WIDE. Short and spinning a mile down the leg side. McConchie looks to pull but misses.

Adil Rashid to Cole McConchie, Outside off, punched through the covers for a couple.

Adil Rashid to Cole McConchie, Down the leg side, Cole McConchie looks to sweep but misses. No wide given.

Will Jacks to Cole McConchie, Outside off, pushed through the covers for a single. A wicket and 7 runs from the over, 10/2 in the last 2!

Will Jacks to Mitchell Santner, Around off, punched down to long off for a single.

Will Jacks to Cole McConchie, Outside off, pushed through the covers for a single.

Will Jacks to Cole McConchie, FOUR! Nicely done. Full, down the leg side, Cole McConchie gets down and sweeps it behind square leg, getting off the mark with a boundary.

Will Jacks to Cole McConchie, Outside off, punched straight to short third.

This is a proper collapse now. Cole McConchie, one of the heroes from the last game, walks out at number 8, replacing Glenn Phillips, to join his previous match's hero.

Will Jacks to Glenn Phillips, OUT! BOWLED! 6th wicket falls to spin and FROM 97/2, NEW ZEALAND ARE NOW 135/6! Landed outside off, Glenn Phillips reaches out to go inside out. But he is not to the pitch of the ball and attempts to initially drive through the covers, but then, probably, through mid off. But he is late in adjusting and the ball lands, spins back in massively, takes the bottom edge and hits the stumps. Big, big blow, as Phillips was playing spin really well.

Liam Dawson to Glenn Phillips, On middle, worked through mid-wicket for a run. A wicket and 3 runs from the over, Liam Dawson ends with bowling figures of 4-0-32-1.

Liam Dawson to Mitchell Santner, Full, around off, Mitchell Santner drives it through mid off for a single to get off the mark.

New Zealand are losing their way slightly here. Enters the skipper, Mitchell Santner, at number 7, replacing Daryl Mitchell.

Liam Dawson to Daryl Mitchell, OUT! CAUGHT! The dots create the pressure and a wicket falls. Floated, outside off, Daryl Mitchell looks to go down the ground but just cannot get to the pitch of the ball. Hence, he toe-ends it and the ball goes towards long off, where Will Jacks makes no mistake. Mitchell admonishes himself as he walks back, and from 97/2, NEW ZEALAND ARE NOW 133/5!

Liam Dawson to Daryl Mitchell, Lovely bowling again. Tossed up, outside off, no pace offered, Mitchell shapes up for the reverse pull this time, but gets beaten once more.

Liam Dawson to Daryl Mitchell, Tossed up, outside off, 90.6 kph, Daryl Mitchell gets down and winds up for a big slog sweep. But he is very early into the shot and gets a thick inside edge which rolls down to short fine leg.

Liam Dawson to Glenn Phillips, Short, outside off, Glenn Phillips rocks back and punches it through the covers for a single.

Rehan Ahmed to Glenn Phillips, Short, outside off, Glenn rocks back and punches it through the covers for another single.

Rehan Ahmed to Daryl Mitchell, Outside off, worked through mid-wicket for one.

Rehan Ahmed to Glenn Phillips, Short, around off, Glenn Phillips goes back and drags the pull towards long on for a single.

Rehan Ahmed to Daryl Mitchell, Fuller, outside off, driven through mid off for another single.

Rehan Ahmed to Glenn Phillips, Short, outside off, Phillips cuts it through point where Jofra Archer does well to half-stop the ball with a dive. Keeps the batters to a single.

Rehan Ahmed is back on. 1-0-9-1 so far.

Rehan Ahmed to Glenn Phillips, Full, on middle, Glenn Phillips leans and works this through mid-wicket for a couple.

Adil Rashid to Daryl Mitchell, Full and around middle, Mitchell lunges to flick but misses the googly and is hit on the pads.

Adil Rashid to Glenn Phillips, Short, outside off, punched towards long off for a single.

Adil Rashid to Glenn Phillips, Outside off, cut straight to point.

Adil Rashid to Daryl Mitchell, Full and straight, Daryl Mitchell works it through mid-wicket for a single.

Adil Rashid to Daryl Mitchell, Full and straight, Mitchell comes forward to defend.

Another left-hander coming out? Nope. Daryl Mitchell walks in next, at number 6, replacing Mark Chapman.

Adil Rashid to Mark Chapman, OUT! STUMPED! And spin strikes straightaway after the break! Clever bowling once again. Rashid senses that Chapman might have a go at him and tosses this beautifully, slowing the pace down. Chapman does come down the track and swings, but is not to the pitch of the ball. He misses but the keeper doesn't. Jos Buttler collects the ball and whips the bails off with ease. Chapman departs after a brief innings and from 97/2, NEW ZEALAND ARE 123/4!

DRINKS BREAK. 69/3 in the last 8 overs post the Powerplay. New Zealand are clearly not backing down, or happy with a 170-ish total. They are pretty much aware about England's batting depth and are definitely eyeing the 200-mark. Despite the excellent run rate, one cannot call this a belter, though it does look a bit better than the one which hosted the New Zealand-Sri Lanka clash. You never know, if dew does arrive later, then the pitch might get better to bat on. Irrespective, England will hope to keep the Kiwis under 190 from here on. Adil Rashid comes back on. 2-0-21-1 so far.

Will Jacks to Glenn Phillips, Full and straight, GP drives it back to the bowler.

Will Jacks to Mark Chapman, Another short ball, pulled through mid-wicket for a single.