Rehan Ahmed starred with bat and ball on his T20 World Cup debut as England guaranteed top spot in their Super 8s pool with a four-wicket win over New Zealand that leaves their opponents sweating on a semi-final place.
Leg-spinning all-rounder Ahmed bagged 2-28 as England earlier restricted the Black Caps to 159-7 and then blasted 19 not out off seven balls in an unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 44 from 16 deliveries with Will Jacks (32no off 18) as Harry Brook’s team got home with three balls to spare in a Colombo thriller.
The batting side were 117-6 with three overs remaining but then became favourites as Ahmed and Jacks, who continues to make telling contributions, smoked the 18th over, bowled by Glenn Phillips, for 22 before Ahmed dominated Mitchell Santner’s 15-run 19th and Jacks hit the winning runs off Matt Henry in the 20th.
England, already through to the knockout stages after victories over Sri Lanka and Pakistan, saw Tom Banton top-score with 33 from 24 deliveries and Jos Buttler’s woes continue as he bagged a two-ball duck – his fifth single-figure return in a row.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
England captain Harry Brook smashed an LED screen with this massive, outrageous six against New Zealand
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Glenn Phillips took a stunning diving catch to dismiss Jacob Bethell
Skipper Brook followed his 50-ball hundred against Pakistan last time out with a knock of 26 off 24 balls, including a stunning, nonchalant flick for six over the leg-side off Henry that broke the LED screen before he holed out off Phillips, who then took a brilliant diving catch to remove Jacob Bethell (21).
Earlier, Ahmed took a wicket with his first ball and fellow spinners Jacks (2-23) and Adil Rashid (2-28) also struck twice.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Rehan Ahmed struck with his very first delivery at a T20 World Cup, with Rachin Ravindra caught in the deep
England will almost certainly play in the second semi-final in Mumbai next Thursday, most likely against India or West Indies.
New Zealand will feature in the first semi on Wednesday – unless Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by a big enough margin in Pallekele on Saturday to overhaul the Black Caps on net run rate.
The chances are we will hear the Kiwis’ national anthem in Kolkata next week, one that was played at warp-speed ahead of their game with England, to much amusement.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
New Zealand players were in stitches in Colombo after their national anthem was played at the wrong speed
England march on at T20 World Cup
The innings did not begin so frantically with Jofra Archer delivering a first-over maiden in which Tim Seifert (35 off 25) successfully overturned a caught-behind dismissal.
Seifert and opening partner Finn Allen (29 off 19) soon sped up, putting on 64 inside seven overs, with Seifert slamming three boundaries in a row off Archer in the fifth.
However, Seifert was then stumped off Rashid and Allen tamely caught at midwicket five balls later off Jacks, before Rachin Ravindra (11) swatted Ahmed into the deep.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Player of the Match Will Jacks bowled Phillips with a delivery than spun sharply
The muscular Phillips (36 of 29) added middle-overs impetus before being cleaned up by a ball from Jacks that turned sharply, with England bowling 16 overs of spin around Archer’s three overs of pace and a solitary set for left-arm seamer Sam Curran.
One of those overs of spin came from Bethell, who bowled for the first time in the tournament after recovering from a cut finger.
England suffered from a top-order wobble with Phil Salt (2) out in the first over for the second straight game, edging Henry, before Buttler departed in the second, coming down the pitch to a quick delivery from Lockie Ferguson and edging behind.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Jos Buttler’s miserable run at the T20 World Cup continued as he was dismissed for a duck by New Zealand seamer Lockie Ferguson
It was the shot of a man bereft of confidence, and Buttler’s form is England’s major concern ahead of the knockout stages.
They appear unlikely to drop their greatest-ever white-ball batter, although Ben Duckett is an option to come in, but may perhaps consider pushing him down the order to get him out of this funk.
Ahmed has made a compelling case to keep his place – he came in for Jamie Overton in Colombo in spinning conditions – with his batting cameo dazzling.
The Leicestershire all-rounder whacked the second ball he faced, off Phillips, for a towering six and then bookended Santner’s next over with boundaries – a reverse-swept four and a maximum over long-off trimming the requirement to five off the last.
Ahmed and Jacks traded singles off Henry before a scuffed four from Player of the Match Jacks took England to a fifth straight T20 international victory.
Watch every game from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup live on Sky Sports Cricket, including the competition final on Sunday March 8. Get Sky Sports or stream contract-free with NOW. Cancel any time.
