England defeated New Zealand by 4 wickets in the 49th match of the T20 World Cup 2026, winning all their matches in the Super 8 stage. The match, played in Colombo, saw New Zealand bat first and score 159 runs in 20 overs, losing 7 wickets. England chased the target and won the match with 3 balls to spare, losing 6 wickets.
Pakistan’s fast bowler Salman Mirza said that in these conditions, most reliance is on spinners. The event has maintained hopes of Pakistan’s semi-finals, as they face Sri Lanka next, and Pakistan needs to not only win the match but also improve their run rate. If Pakistan bats first, they will need to beat Sri Lanka by 65 runs to qualify for the semi-finals, and they will need to achieve the required runs in 13 overs.
The most critical moment came when England’s 7th wicket pair, Will Jacks and Rehan, shared a 44-run partnership in 16 deliveries to take their team to a thrilling victory. Jacks and Rehan remained unbeaten on 32 and 19 runs, respectively, while other batsmen Tom Banton scored 33, captain Harry Brook 26, Sam Curran 24, Phil Salt 2, and Jos Buttler 0.
New Zealand’s Richie Rutherford took 3 wickets, while Luka Ferguson, Matt Henry, and Glenn Phillips took 1 wicket each. In the first innings, New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips scored 39 runs, while Tim Seifert scored 35, Finn Allen 29, Mark Chapman 15, Kyle Mckenzie 14, Richie Rutherford 11, and Daryl Mitchell 3 runs.
England’s Will Jacks, Adil Rashid, and Rehan Ahmed took 2 wickets each, while Liam Dawson took 1 wicket. The match, played in Pallekele, is a formal affair for Sri Lanka, but a big win for Pakistan will take them to the semi-finals.
In a Geo News program, a former fast bowler was asked if Pakistan can win today’s match and qualify for the semi-finals. According to the meteorological department, there is a possibility of dry and hot weather in Kandy today. Shahid Afridi said that our Muslim brother countries have also tried to explain the situation to them.
Pakistan’s fast bowler Salman Mirza said that in these conditions, most reliance is on spinners. French football authorities do not allow official breaks based on religious grounds, and as a result, such incidents are rarely seen during the match.
England captain Harry Brook’s brilliant century has sparked a reaction from former Pakistani cricketers Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raja on social media. India is currently tied with West Indies with two points. Sri Lankan cricket team captain Dasun Shanaka has made a special appeal to his government after being knocked out of the T20 World Cup 2026.
In a crucial match in Super Eight Group 1 in Chennai, India batted first and scored 256 runs in 4 wickets. South Africa won the toss and chose to field in Ahmedabad against West Indies. Pakistan’s former captain Shahid Afridi said that I deliberately did not include Shahin Afridi in my playing eleven to get a strong reaction from the fast bowlers.
He said that Agha’s weak leadership and limited performance in the World Cup have raised questions about his captaincy. Pakistan’s top-order batting line-up failed miserably in the T20 World Cup, leaving Pakistan’s semi-finals hopes bleak. Mohammad Amir has become known as “Amir Baba” on social media due to his accurate predictions.
