England Edge New Zealand in Last-Over Thriller; Pakistan Stay Alive in T20WC 2026

 

New Zealand squandered a golden opportunity to book their place in the semifinals, going down in a nerve-shredding last-over thriller against England on Friday. A victory would have sealed their passage to the final four, but England held their nerve to snatch a dramatic win. Already through to the semifinals, England had little at stake — yet their triumph may have delighted Pakistan the most, as it keeps them mathematically alive in the tournament.

Opting to bat first after winning the toss, New Zealand made a blistering start. Their openers attacked from the outset, scoring so fluently that a total in excess of 200 looked well within reach. However, the momentum shifted dramatically in the seventh over. Adil Rashid struck with the final ball of the over, deceiving Tim Seifert (35) with a clever leg-spin delivery. Almost immediately, Will Jacks removed Finn Allen (29), who perished attempting an ambitious stroke, caught at deep midwicket.

From a commanding 64 without loss, New Zealand suddenly slumped to 66 for 2. Glenn Phillips fought hard for his 39, but none of the other batters managed to build a substantial innings. The middle and lower order faltered under pressure, and a promising 123 for 3 after 14 overs deteriorated into a modest 159 for 7 at the end of 20 overs. The final six overs yielded a mere 36 runs — a slowdown that ultimately cost them dearly. Though they battled gamely in the field, their semifinal hopes may well have faded during that dramatic batting collapse. For England, their  3 spinners , Adil Rashid, Will Jacks & Rehan Ahmed all got 2 wickets each to restrict the kiwis.

Chasing 160 did not appear overly daunting, but England contrived to make life difficult for themselves. They lost two wickets for just 2 runs, handing New Zealand early belief. Captain Harry Brook steadied the innings alongside Jacob Bethell, even though England were already assured of a semifinal berth and this match held no qualification stakes for them.

Brook and Bethell added 50 valuable runs before Brook departed for 26. Bethell followed soon after for 21, and Sam Curran (24), looking dangerous, threw his wicket away attempting a big shot. At 100 for 5, the contest hung delicately in the balance.

From there, the game swung like a pendulum, with momentum shifting almost every over. With 21 runs required off the final 12 deliveries, tension gripped both camps. England’s Rehan provided the decisive blow in the 19th over, smashing a crucial boundary and then launching a towering six over long-off, plundering 16 runs from the over. That left just 5 needed in the final over — a formality England completed with three balls to spare. Will Jacks with 32 not out in 18 balls once again playing the finishers role to perfection to pick up yet another player of the match award . 

For New Zealand, it was heartbreak at the doorstep of the semifinals. For England, it was another exhibition of composure under pressure. And for Pakistan, it was a lifeline — however slim — in an increasingly dramatic tournament.