England vs New Zealand LIVE T20 World Cup cricket result and reaction as England keep hopes alive
England kept their World Cup hopes alive in Brisbane with a 20-run victory over New Zealand
England met New Zealand knowing they needed a win to keep their T20 World Cup hopes in their own hands, and they delivered with a 20-run victory at the Gabba.
Jos Buttler’s side went with the same XI that suffered a shock defeat against Ireland but while they are a team who typically prefer to chase, playing on a used Gabba pitch prompted a change in strategy.
Buttler himself scored 73 as England set New Zealand a target of 180 to win, and although Glenn Phillips fired 62 to give the Kiwis hope, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes and Sam Curran were particularly decisive with ball in hand to stem the run chase and keep England in with a shout of progressing from the group stage.
Follow all the reaction after England beat New Zealand in their must-win T20 World Cup clash:
England beat New Zealand by 20 runs
More on England’s victory:
England beat New Zealand to keep T20 World Cup hopes alive
Captain Jos Buttler led the way with the bat after electing to field first, clubbing 73 off 47 balls, as his team ultimately prevailed by 20 runs
Match report
England survived Glenn Phillips’s late onslaught to beat group leaders New Zealand by 20 runs in a crucial Super 12 match of the T20 World Cup to keep alive their semi-final hopes in Brisbane on Tuesday.
Jos Buttler smashed 73 off 47 balls and Alex Hales made 52 to power England to 179-6 after electing to bat in the Super 12 contest.
Phillips threatened to pull off an audacious chase bashing 62 off 36 balls but had little support from anyone barring skipper Kane Williamson (40).
New Zealand are still top of Group 1 on superior net run rate, followed by England and Australia though all three are level on five points.
It was a must-win match for England following their defeat to Ireland and the abandonment of last week’s encounter with champions Australia.
Hales accelerated after relatively quiet four overs, hitting Tim Southee for a six and two boundaries in a rematch of last year’s semi-finals which New Zealand had won.
At the other end, Buttler was on eight when he began to walk off after Williamson appeared to have taken a diving catch at cover.
Replays, however, confirmed the ball had burst through the fielder’s hands and hit the turf before a tumbling Williamson clutched it against his chest.
Hales fell immediately after completing his fifty and Buttler got another reprieve at 40 when Daryl Mitchell dropped him at deep mid-wicket.
Buttler smashed two sixes and seven fours and became England’s most prolific batsman in T20 Internationals before being run out in the penultimate over of the innings.
New Zealand were 66-2 at the halfway stage in their reply, though it could have been worse but Moeen Ali dropped Phillips when the batter was on 15.
Phillips, who smashed a century against Sri Lanka on Saturday, gleefully capitalised on the reprieve to reach his fifty in 25 balls.
Ben Stokes broke the 91-run stand when he ended Williamson’s run-a-ball knock and England were effectively assured of victory when Phillips holed out in the deep in the 18th over.
Earlier, former champions Sri Lanka knocked out Afghanistan with a six-wicket victory at the Gabba.
Spinner Wanindu Hasaranga (3-13) led Sri Lanka’s disciplined bowling as the Asia champions restricted Afghanistan to a modest 144-8 in the Group 1 contest at Gabba.
Dhananjaya de Silva smashed an unbeaten 64 to help the 2014 champions prevail with nine balls to spare and revive their campaign after back-to-back defeats by Australia and New Zealand.
Sri Lanka now have four points from as many matches, while Afghanistan stay rooted at the bottom with two.
Reuters
England beat New Zealand by 20 runs
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson: “We had our moments but we weren’t ever able to get ahead of the game.”
On dropping Jos Buttler twice: “He’s one of, if not the, best player in the game, and if you do that he’s probably going to make you pay. He made the boundaries looks quite small really which they’re really not.”
On Glenn Phillips: “Glenn’s been batting beautifully well, he’s super clear with how he’s going to go about his business, and long may it continue.”
England beat New Zealand by 20 runs
England all-rounder Sam Curran: “I felt like I hadn’t played in a while with all the rain away. Jos gave a big message that we really focus and give everything. There was no panic, we knew where we went wrong against Ireland.
“Glenn Phillips got going really well, it was tricky. I would have [mentioned Moeen Ali’s drop to him] if we had lost! But we didn’t so it’s OK. I’m sure there will be a bit of banter flying around the dressing room later.”
England beat New Zealand by 20 runs
England captain Jos Buttler: “You don’t become a bad team overnight. It’s a ruthless tournament, it’s tough to get through, but it’s what you expect from a World Cup, you expect pressure. With our line-up, we bat deep, it allows you to take it on an over earlier than you might do otherwise. I thought Alex Hales played a really good innings and that set us up.”
England beat New Zealand by 20 runs
Sam Curran bowls a brilliant final over to protect England’s net run-rate and damage New Zealand’s further, which could be relevant come the end of this group phase. England win by 20 runs.
New Zealand 154-6 (19 overs) chasing 180 to win
Chris Woakes sees out the penultimate over with Mitchell Santner trying but failing to hit boundaries, until the final ball of the over which he launches over long-on for six. New Zealand need 26 from six balls.
New Zealand 140-6 (18 overs) chasing 180 to win
Sam Curran has been excellent in this match. Two overs to go, and England have this win almost secured.
Wicket! Phillips c Jordan b Curran 62, New Zealand 135-5 (17.3 overs) chasing 180 to win
Glenn Phillips doesn’t quite catch one out of the screws and this time he’s gone, caught by Chris Jordan in the deep just as Mitchell was a few moments ago. A fine innings, but that is surely the end of New Zealand’s challenge here.
Wicket! Mitchell c Jordan b Woakes 3, New Zealand 131-5 (17 overs) chasing 180 to win
A brilliant over by Chris Woakes, reducing New Zealand only to singles and increasing the pressure, so much so that Daryl Mitchell feels compelled to go for broke and he’s caught on the rope by replacement fielder Chris Jordan. Advantage England.
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