The Black Caps face a nervy 24 hours to learn their fate at the Twenty20 World Cup, after a four-wicket loss to England in Colombo.
Needing victory to guarantee their place in the last four, New Zealand had England on the ropes, on the same wicket used in the 61-run win over co-hosts Sri Lanka two days earlier.
Chasing 160, England were 117-6, and needed 43 runs from the final three overs. However, a last-gasp partnership of 44 runs in just 16 balls between Will Jacks (32 not out) and World Cup debutant Rehan Ahmed (19 not out) pulled the rug out from under the Black Caps.
New Zealand’s batters will rue the fact they didn’t capitalise on a fast start, having been 64 without loss, but only posting 159-7.
Glenn Phillips’ final over being hit for 22 runs proved to be the turning point, in a cruel twist after the allrounder’s excellent showing.
Phillips had been the Black Caps’ top scorer with 39 runs, before snaring the key wicket of England captain Harry Brook, and taking two catches in the outfield.
Victory sees England through from the Super Eights into the semifinals as the top qualifier in group two, with three wins out of three.
The Black Caps’ progression, meanwhile, is now out of their hands. A semifinal spot for New Zealand needs Pakistan to either lose to Sri Lanka, or win by a small margin that would see the Black Caps sneak through on net run rate.
New Zealand’s net run rate (+1.390) is currently superior to Pakistan’s (-0.461). However, Pakistan now know the exact circumstances they need to win in to progress.
That match will be played on Sunday morning (NZ time).
Despite Tim Seifert seeing out a maiden first up, the Black Caps’ openers started positively on the used wicket.
Once both fell against the run of play, Tim Seifert for 35 and Finn Allen for 29, the Black Caps’ score wobbled from 64-0 to 66-2, and New Zealand struggled to string any kind of partnership together, as Adil Rashid (2-28) led England’s attack.
While he lost Rachin Ravindra (11), Mark Chapman (15) and Daryl Mitchell (3) around him, Phillips was the innings’ anchor, and expertly used the crease against England’s spinners as well as running between the wickets.
But as the pitch slowed up, Phillips was bowled by Jacks (2-23) for 39 off 28 balls, attempting to increase the run rate in the final overs. A misfielded Cole McConchie on-drive raised New Zealand’s 150, before Mitchell Santner sent Ahmed’s (2-28) final ball of the innings over long-off.
While Santner watched England bowl 16 overs of spin in New Zealand’s innings, the Black Caps made use of their quick bowlers at the top.
After striking with his first ball against Sri Lanka, Matt Henry had to wait until his fourth against England to get Phil Salt (2) caught behind. Four balls later, Lockie Ferguson snared Jos Buttler (0) in identical fashion, as both openers were back in the sheds at 2-2.
Four overs in, though, the advantages of the new ball faded. England captain Harry Brook responded by sending Henry over midwicket for a six that broke the ground’s broadcast screen, and by smashing Ferguson through cover for four more in the next over.
But once the fielding restrictions were lifted, Santner threw the ball to Phillips, and was rewarded with the big wicket as Brook hit the part-timer’s first ball straight to Mitchell at long-off.
Phillips couldn’t stay out of the action either, and completed an incredible outfield catch running in from deep midwicket to dismiss Jacob Bethell (21) off Ravindra, as England crept to 64-4 at halfway.
Ravindra removed Sam Curran (24) and Tom Banton (33), to leave England 117-6, needing 43 from the last three overs.
However, Phillips’ last six balls being hit for 22 runs swung the pendulum back into England’s favour, before Santner’s last over yielded 16, as the pair of Jacks and Ahmed took charge.
The duo found the boundary with ease, and left the Black Caps rattled as the equation ticked further and further in England’s favour.
And with only five runs to defend, a deflection off Jacks’ helmet off Henry’s bowling was enough for England to seal victory.
New Zealand 159-7 (Phillips 39; Jacks 2-23)
England 161-6 (Banton 33; Ravindra 3-19)
England win by four wickets
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.