England secured a dramatic four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the T20 World Cup, thanks to a late blitz from Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed. Chasing 160, England needed 43 off the final three overs before Jacks and Ahmed turned the game with a series of boundaries. Ahmed's six off the last ball of the 19th over left five runs required, which England achieved with three balls to spare.
Jacks, who was named player of the match for the fourth time in the tournament, took two wickets and scored 32 off 18 balls. Ahmed, making his tournament debut, claimed two wickets and hit 19 off seven deliveries. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner praised England's ability to win tight matches, saying, 'If you can get yourself out of tricky positions and end up winning games it does wonders for your confidence.'
England's top order continued to struggle, with openers Phil Salt and Jos Buttler both dismissed for single-digit scores. Buttler's poor form continued, scoring just 15 runs in his last five innings. Despite this, Jacks expressed confidence in the team's ability to perform in high-pressure situations, stating, 'Whoever we play in the semi-finals it’s going to be a hell of an atmosphere and a hell of an occasion.'
New Zealand's defeat gives Pakistan a slim chance of reaching the semi-finals if they beat Sri Lanka by a large margin. England are likely to face the winner of Sunday's match between India and West Indies in the semi-final in Mumbai on Thursday.
