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

DRINKS BREAK. Is the game dying a slow death? Maybe, maybe not. After reaching to 47/2 at the end of the Powerplay, England have managed roughly the same score in the next 8 overs - 50/2 to be precise. Batting is getting difficult by the minute and even though the English have wickets in hand, chasing somewhere around 11 an over is a pretty hazardous task at the Premadasa. The Kiwis have been pretty disciplined so far. Henry and Ferguson set the tone, while post the Powerplay, the spinners are making England dance to their tunes. The Brits will hope that this current pair bats for at least another 2-3 overs and reduces the gap between the runs needed and the balls remaining. Rachin Ravindra is back on. 2-0-12-1 so far.

Ish Sodhi to Tom Banton, Short of a length, on leg, Tom Banton clips it to deep mid-wicket and gets a comfortable single.

Ish Sodhi to Tom Banton, Short, around leg, Tom Banton makes room and pushes it to cover.

Ish Sodhi to Sam Curran, Short and outside off, googly, Sam Curran mistimes his heave to deep mid-wicket. Daryl Mitchell moves to his left, but doesn't commit to the catch. He stays back and protects the boundary. Single taken.

Ish Sodhi to Sam Curran, Pitches it fuller, does Sodhi. Sam Curran looks to nudge it to mid-wicket, but gets beaten on the outside edge.

Ish Sodhi to Sam Curran, Short, around off, Sam Curran drills it back to the bowler.

Ish Sodhi to Sam Curran, SIX! BOOM! Targeting the shorter side now. Ish Sodhi comes from over the wicket and bowls outside off, Sam Curran picks the length early and pulls it over deep mid-wicket for a massive six.

More spin. 5th spinner on display. Here's Ish Sodhi.

Mitchell Santner to Sam Curran, Short, on middle, Sam Curran pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Mitchell Santner to Sam Curran, Short, outside off, Sam Curran cuts it to extra cover.

Mitchell Santner to Sam Curran, Short and outside off, Sam Curran punches it to extra cover.

Mitchell Santner to Sam Curran, Short and wide outside off, Sam Curran misses his cut.

Mitchell Santner to Sam Curran, FOUR! The runs are piling thick and fast now! Much short, on leg, Sam Curran goes deep into the crease and pulls it to deep fine leg for four runs.

Just a bit of a break. No idea why. The batters change their gloves perhaps. Mitchell Santner returns. 2-0-8-0 so far.

Mitchell Santner to Sam Curran, Short, outside off, Sam Curran pulls it hard but straight to short mid-wicket.

Glenn Phillips to Tom Banton, FOUR! Nicely played! Full, outside off, Tom Banton skips down the track and punches it downtown to get four more runs. Glenn Phillips moves to his left and even gets fingertips on it, but the ball manages to escape from the bowler's grasp.

Glenn Phillips to Sam Curran, Short, outside off, Sam Curran cuts it wide of backward point. Lockie Ferguson dives and makes a half stop. Single taken.

Glenn Phillips to Sam Curran, Short, on leg, Sam Curran defends it down the track.

Glenn Phillips to Tom Banton, Full, just outside off, Tom Banton punches it to long off for a single.

Glenn Phillips to Tom Banton, MISFIELD AND FOUR! This one is fuller, pitching outside off, Tom Banton sweeps it away toward the deep mid-wicket region. Cole McConchie is the man who gets a bit puzzled about whether to go for the catch or to stay back and field safe. He chooses the latter one, but fumbles, and the ball rolls away to the boundary ropes.

Glenn Phillips to Sam Curran, Full, on middle, Sam Curran punches it to long off for a single.

Rachin Ravindra to Tom Banton, Full, on leg, Tom Banton pushes it to the right of long off and gets a couple of runs.

Rachin Ravindra to Sam Curran, Short, on middle, Sam Curran pats it to long off and gets a single.

Rachin Ravindra to Sam Curran, Short, outside off, Sam Curran punches it to right of long off for a brace.

Rachin Ravindra to Sam Curran, FOUR! SHOT! Short of a length, wide outside off, Sam Curran slaps it through cover for four runs.

Rachin Ravindra to Sam Curran, Short and wide outside off, Sam Curran punches it back to the bowler.

Rachin Ravindra to Sam Curran, Short, outside off, Sam Curran steers it to short third.

Halfway mark reached. England are skydiving at 64/4 while at the same stage, the Kiwis were sky rocketing at 84/2. Who is more nervous at this point in time? England? Or Pakistan? Shall the bags be started to be packed?

Glenn Phillips to Tom Banton, Short, on middle, Tom Banton sweeps it to the right of Lockie Ferguson at deep square leg and gets a brace.

Glenn Phillips to Tom Banton, Short, on off, Tom Banton defends it to the off side.

Glenn Phillips to Tom Banton, Full, outside off, Tom Banton flicks it to mid-wicket.

Glenn Phillips to Sam Curran, Full, on middle, Sam Curran pushes it to long on for a single.

DRS time! By New Zealand. They seem pretty confident regarding an LBW query against Tom Banton and it did look close to the naked eye. Not given out on field, spinning too much down the leg side? Ooohhh... ignore that. There is a bit of spike on UltraEdge as the ball is close to the bat! Wow, if the umpire did pick that up, superb hearing senses.

Glenn Phillips to Tom Banton, NEW ZEALAND LOSE A REVIEW. Phillips delivers fuller this time, pitching it on middle and turning in. Tom Banton looks to reverse sweep but fails to make the connection and gets hit on his front pad. After a brief discussion, skipper Mitchell Santner agrees to take the review. The UltraEdge pops up and shows a little spike before the ball touches the bat, but as it gets close to the inner edge, the spikes increase. So the on-field decision stands on as Not Out. Later after the verdict, Phillips goes up to the umpire and asks that there was already a spike before the ball was close to the bat, but the umpire dodges the query. Not his concern, to be honest, it is the judgement from the third umpire. Ball Tracking later reveals that the ball would have spun down the leg side anyway.

Glenn Phillips to Sam Curran, Low full toss, on off, Sam Curran pulls it to wide long on for a single.

Rachin Ravindra to Tom Banton, Full, on off, Tom Banton pushes it to point.

Rachin Ravindra to Sam Curran, Short, outside off, Sam Curran knocks it to long on for one.

Sam Curran is in at number six.

Rachin Ravindra to Jacob Bethell, OUT! CAUGHT! Oh, what a catch that is, and who else could it be? It's none other than Glenn Phillips. Ravindra delivers it shorter than the previous delivery, on off and middle. Jacob Bethell transfers his weight on the back foot and pulls it hard and flat toward the mid-wicket region. It's Glenn Phillips, who spots the opportunity, spins in front and dives before taking the catch just above the green turf. And he celebrates again, this time for the catch. From 50/2, ENGLAND ARE NOW 58/4! Equation - 102 runs, 68 balls.

Rachin Ravindra to Tom Banton, Rachin drags his length back, on middle, Tom Banton nudges it to mid-wicket for a single.

Rachin Ravindra to Tom Banton, Full, on the stumps, Tom Banton defends it down the track.

Rachin Ravindra to Jacob Bethell, Rachin Ravindra joins the attack now and bowls it fuller, on off, Jacob Bethell drives it to extra cover. The fielder dives to his right and gets some hands on it. The ball gets deflected toward mid off and the batter gets a single.

Glenn Phillips to Tom Banton, Fullish, around off, Tom Banton defends it to cover.

Glenn Phillips to Tom Banton, FOUR! SHOT! Flighted, on middle, pushed fuller. Tom Banton crouches down on one knee and sweeps it behind the deep square leg fielder. The ball goes beyond the boundary ropes on a bounce.

Glenn Phillips to Jacob Bethell, A touch fuller, on middle, Jacob Bethell flicks it to short fine for a single.

Glenn Phillips to Tom Banton, Short, on middle, Tom Banton pulls it to deep mid-wicket for one.

Glenn Phillips to Tom Banton, Full, outside off, Tom Banton pushes it to cover.

The skipper falls, and it's Tom Banton who walks up to the middle.

Glenn Phillips to Harry Brook, OUT! CAUGHT! Glenn Phillips is all pumped up. He joins the attack and gets a big wicket to dismiss the opposition skipper, Harry Brook. Phillips comes around the wicket and bowls fuller, outside off. Harry Brook strides out, bending his back foot to crouch to get underneath the delivery, but ends up mistiming the shot to long off, where Daryl Mitchell takes a calm and composed catch. The 48-run stand is broken and ENGLAND ARE 50/3, NEEDING ANOTHER 110 RUNS FROM 77 BALLS.

Mitchell Santner to Harry Brook, Pitches it up, does Santner, around middle, Harry Brook sweeps it to deep square leg for an easy single.