'Absolutely buzzing' - Will Jacks reacts to 'tight' England T20 World Cup 2026 win over New Zealand
ByTNT UK
Updated 27/02/2026 at 18:07 GMT
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A spectacular partnership between Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed helped England beat New Zealand by four wickets and complete a perfect Super 8 campaign in the T20 World Cup 2026. Jacks was the player of the match for the fourth time in the tournament, while Rehan, playing his first World Cup game, scored 19 off seven balls in Colombo, Sri Lanka. England now head into the semi-finals.
Highlights: England seal T20 series clean sweep over Sri Lanka
Video credit: TNT Sports
England completed a perfect Super 8 campaign by beating New Zealand by four wickets in Colombo.
New Zealand posted a formidable score of 159-7 on a spin-friendly pitch, but England reached their target with three balls to spare thanks to a spectacular partnership of 44 from 16 balls between Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed.
Rehan, playing his first-ever World Cup game, bashed 19 off seven balls while Jacks – the player of the match for the fourth time in the tournament – struck 32 off 18.
New Zealand’s total was built on an excellent opening partnership between Tim Seifert and Finn Allen, followed by an innings of 39 from 28 balls from Glenn Phillips.
Phillips later took a stunning catch to dismiss Jacob Bethell, and, for most of the run chase, it felt like England were behind the game. Jacks and Rehan changed that.
England will now face either India or West Indies in the semi-final.
The player of the match, yet again, is Will JacksÂ
I’m absolutely buzzing with that. To be out there at the end in such a tight finish… I’m over the moon. Rehan played a brilliant innings, and put them on the back foot. I was able to just play off him. I feel really confident right now.
ENGLAND WIN BY FOUR WICKETS
England 155-6 (Jacks 32, Rehan 19)
Overs 19.3
That's it! A short ball from Henry is pulled fine for four by Jacks to complete an unlikely victory for England. They were behind the game throughout until Will Jacks (32 from 19 balls) and Rehan Ahmed (19 from 7) ran amok at the death.
England 155-6 (Jacks 27, Rehan 18)
Overs 19
Rehan reverse-sweeps Santner's first ball over short third man for four, a brilliant stroke from a wholly fearless cricketer. A flurry of ones and twos make it another terrific over for England - and then Rehan swipes six over the man at long-off! Amazing! He has 18 from 6 balls and England need just five from the last over. They've scored 38 from the last two.
England 139-6 (Jacks 22, Rehan 7)
Overs 18
Rehan Ahmed gets off the mark by charging his second ball, from Glenn Phillips, and smashing a huge six over long-on. Will Jacks leathers six more over deep midwicket before slapping a full toss down the ground for four. He ends a massive over for England - 22 from it - with a ferocious pull for four. England need 21 from 12 balls.
England 117-6 (Jacks 8, Rehan 0)
Overs 17
And now they need 43 from 18 balls. Good luck with that. Ravindra ends with marvelous figures of 4-0-19-3.
Wicket! Banton c Chapman b Ravindra 33
England 117-6 (Overs 16.5)
New Zealand may well go through to the semi-finals even if they lose, especially if it's a tight defeat, but they'd rather get the job done tonight. Ravindra moves them closer to victory with a key wicket when Banton clunks a short ball straight to Mark Chapman at deep midwicket. England need 43 from 19 balls.
England 114-5 (Banton 32, Jacks 6)
Overs 16
Jacks reverse-hoicks Sodhi's first ball for four, a terrific shot that is followed by an even better one from Banton. He dances down the pitch to drive inside-out over extra-cover for an elegant and emphatic six. Thirteen from the over; England need 46 from 24 balls.
England 101-5 (Banton 24, Jacks 1)
Overs 15
Will Jacks, England's player of the tournament so far, is the new batter.
Wicket! Curran c Phillips b Ravindra 24
England 100-5 (Overs 14.3)
Big wicket. Curran heaves Ravindra into the safe hands of Glenn Phillips at midwicket. He played pretty well, making 24 from 22 balls, but this is a tough pitch and England are running out of time.
England 97-4 (Banton 21, Curran 24)
Overs 14
The legspinner Ish Sodhi comes on for the first time - but his loosener is too short and Curran slugs it over midwicket for six. Another big shot bounces in front of the long-on Mitchell, who decides to stay at home and save the boundary rather than try to take the catch. England need 63 from 36 balls.
England 89-4 (Banton 20, Curran 17)
Overs 13
A rare bad ball from Santner is pulled for four by Curran, but that's followed by three dot balls and all told it's a good over for New Zealand. They have the whip hand right now.
England 84-4 (Banton 20, Curran 12)
Overs 12
Banton hits Phillips for a couple of boundaries - the first thanks to a misfield from McConchie, the second with a screamer down the ground that almost took Phillips' left hand off. At first it looked like a dropped chance (technically) but in fact it was a bump ball. England need 76 from 48 balls.
England 73-4 (Banton 11, Curran 10)
Overs 11
Sam Curran, who loves a dogfight like this, cuffs Ravindra through extra cover for a much-needed boundary. Nine from the over, a good one for England.
England 64-4 (Banton 9, Curran 3)
Overs 10
Banton survives an LBW review after apparently missing a reverse-sweep off Phillips. There was a spike as the ball passed the bat but, while I'm not sure he hit it, ball-tracking suggests it would have missed leg stump anyway.
England 59-4 (Banton 6, Curran 1)
Overs 9
It's a long way back from here for England, even with a lot of batting depth. That Phillips catch gets better every time you see it.
Wicket! Bethell c Phillips b Ravindra 21
England 58-4 (Overs 8.4)
Bethell pulls the new bowler Rachin Ravindra flat and hard towards deep midwicket, where Glenn Phillips charges in and swoops forward to take an outstanding low catch. He might be the best fielder in the whole wide world, and catches like that are the reason why.
England 56-3 (Bethell 20, Banton 5)
Overs 8
Tom Banton slog-sweeps his third ball for a one-bounce four. England need 104 from 78 balls.
Wicket! Brook c Mitchell b Phillips 26
England 50-3 (Overs 7.1)
A huge moment in the game! Harry Brook charges Glenn Phillips' first ball but launches it straight to Daryl Mitchell at long-off. He goes for 26 from 24 balls and New Zealand are well on top.
England 50-2 (Brook 26, Bethell 19)
Overs 7
Santner is turning the ball sharply, bowling several deliveries at less than 50mph, and England are understandably wary against him. Just three runs from an excellent over.
England 47-2 (Brook 24, Bethell 18)
Overs 6
On comes the offspinner Cole McConchie. Brook works a pair of twos, reverse-sweeps just short of Henry at short third man and then makes rook to lift a majestic boundary over extra cover. "Unbelievable batting" says Aaron Finch on commentary. Bethell completes a very good over for England with a delightful back-foot drive through extra cover for four more. England need 113 from 84 balls.
England 34-2 (Brook 15, Bethell 14)
Overs 5
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner, the best left-arm spinner around in white-ball cricket, comes into the attack. After a quiet start to the over, Bethell reverse-sweeps expertly for four. New Zealand are still on top but England have recovered well since that poor start.
England 28-2 (Brook 15, Bethell 9)
Overs 4
Bethell makes it 14 from three balls by smacking Ferguson down the ground at the start of the next over. After missing a fallover scoop, Brook makes room outside leg stump to laser another boundary through the covers. Wonderful hitting, mind-blowingly good.
England 19-2 (Brook 11, Bethell 4)
Overs 3
Brook tries to scoop Henry, misses, is hit in the stomach and falls over. A dot ball. Henry is bowling sensationally; his next ball lifts and snaps off the seam to beat Brook's defensive push. Brook responds in typically aggressive style. First he runs down and across to slap Henry over cover for four; then he plays the most amazing scoop shot over square leg for six. It whacked the top of the scoreboard, breaking the LED screen, and almost cleared it. "Shot of the tournament!" says Simon Doull on commentary. This man is a genius.
England 8-2 (Brook 1, Bethell 4)
Overs 2
Jacob Bethell gets off the mark with an inside-edge over the stumps for four. New Zealand's quick bowlers have started brilliantly.
Wicket! Buttler c Seifert b Ferguson 0
England 2-2 (Overs 1.2)
Jos Bittler goes for a duck! He felt for a sharp lifter from Lockie Ferguson and snicked it through to the keeper - a cracking delivery, albeit one Buttler could have left on reflection. Easy to say that now. England are in bother.
England 2-1 (Buttler 0, Brook 0)
Overs 1
Harry Brook charges his second ball and is beaten by a beauty that only just misses leg stump.
Wicket! Salt c Seifert b Henry 2
England 2-1 (Overs 0.4)
Masterful bowling from Matt Henry! He picks up Phil Salt fourth ball with a terrific delivery that straightens to take the edge and is comfortably caught by the keeper Tim Seifert. The three preceding deliveries were all superb and it felt, even at such an early stage, that a wicket was coming.
Here come England
Win or lose today, they would love Jos Buttler to hit form after a miserable tournament in which he has scored 62 runs in six innings.
New Zealand 159-7 (Santner 9, Henry 1)
Overs 20
Santner drives the last ball of the innings over mid-off for six. Nice way to finish, and though it's hard to be sure in T20 cricket, it feels like New Zealand have the advantage on a used pitch. England need 160 to win.
Wicket! McConchie b Rehan 14
New Zealand 152-7 (Overs 19.3)
Harry Brook gambles by giving the last over to Rehan Ahmed rather than Jofra Archer. McConchie pumps his second ball on the bounce to long-on, where an unusual misfield from Banton turns one run into four. But Rehan strikes next bal with a slow, seductive legbreak that beats the charging McConchie and hits the stumps. Nicely bowled.
New Zealand 147-6 (Santner 2, McConchie 10)
Overs 19
Rashid ends his spell (4-0-28-2) with a fine over, just five from it. Batting looks increasingly tricky against the spinner.s
New Zealand 142-6 (Santner 2, McConchie 6)
Overs 18
Cole McConchie, who played a crucial innings against Sri Lanka earlier in the week, sweeps his second ball round the corner for four. Despite losing those wickets New Zealand are in a decent position on a pitch that is turning appreciably. Jacks has finished another good spell with figures of 4-0-23-2.
Wicket! Phillips b Jacks 39
New Zealand 135-6 (Overs 17.1)
A terrific delivery from Will Jacks, bowling round the wicket, turns past Glenn Phillips' attempted pull-sweep to hit the stumps. New Zealand are six down. Phillips played very well to make 39 from 28 balls, though it felt like he was starved of the strike in the second half of his innings.
New Zealand 134-5 (Phillips 39, Santner 1)
Overs 17
Liam Dawson finishes his spell with figures of 4-0-32-1.
Wicket! Mitchell c Jacks b Dawson 3
New Zealand 133-5 (Overs 16.4)
Daryl Mitchell drives Dawson straight to long-off to end a laboured cameo of three from eight balls. England's spinners are keeping them in the game.
New Zealand 132-4 (Phillips 37, Mitchell 3)
Overs 16
A pretty good over from Rehan Ahmed: five singles, one two, seven from it.
New Zealand 125-4 (Phillips 32, Mitchell 1)
Overs 15
Just two runs from a terrific over by Rashid.
Wicket! Chapman st Buttler b Rashid 15
New Zealand 123-4 (Overs 14.1)
Chapman charges Rashid, is beaten all ends up and stumped by Jos Buttler. Pure class from Rashid, who is never less than a joy to watch.
New Zealand 123-3 (Phillips 31, Chapman 15)
Overs 14
No boundaries in Jacks' third over but New Zealand score off all bar one delivery. They're in a very good position with six overs to go.
New Zealand 116-3 (Phillips 29, Chapman 11)
Overs 13
Chapman gets lucky when a mishit pull off Dawson drops short of the man running in from deep midwicket. A big LBW appeal against Phillips is turned down on line; it was close and would have been umpire's call had England reviewed. Chapman ends the over superbly for New Zealand with successive boundaries to deep midwicket.
New Zealand 106-3 (Phillips 28, Chapman 2)
Overs 12
Phillips continues his superb innings by thumping Rehan over mid-off for four. He has raced to 28 from just 13 deliveries.
Wicket! Ravindra c Bethell b Rehan 11
New Zealand 97-3 (Overs 11.1)
Rehan Ahmed strikes with his first ball at a World Cup! Ravindra fetched a shortish googly towards deep midwicket, where Bethell took a good running catch. What a lovely moment that is for Rehan.
New Zealand 97-2 (Ravindra 11, Phillips 21)
Overs 11
Jacob Bethell, who hasn't been able to bowl before today because of a finger injury, starts with a full toss that is biffed down the ground for four by Ravindra. Phillips, who has started beautifully, rifles four more down the ground later in the over. He has 21 from just 11 balls.
New Zealand 84-2 (Ravindra 4, Phillips 15)
Overs 10
Ravindra tries to pull Jacks and is beaten by some extravagant turn. Phillips then edges for four. This pitch is doing plenty for the spinners and I'm not sure England will fancy chasing much more than 150.
New Zealand 77-2 (Ravindra 2, Phillips 10)
Overs 9
Phillips gets off the mark by hoicking a Rashid googly over wide mid-on for six. That's a superb shot, which he follows with an expertly placed pull for four. New Zealand are on top here;.
New Zealand 66-2 (Ravindra 1, Phillips 0)
Overs 8
Glenn Phillips is the next man in.
Wicket! Allen c Bethell b Jacks 29
New Zealand 66-2 (Overs 7.4)
A bonus wicket for England. Finn Allen chips Will Jacks' fourth ball straight to deep midwicket, where Jacob Bethell takes a simple catch. In the context of T20, that was a bit of a nothing shot.
New Zealand 64-1 (Allen 28, Ravindra 0)
Overs 7
Rachin Ravindra is the new batter.
Wicket! Seifert st Buttler b Rashid 35
New Zealand 64-1 (Overs 7)
Adil Rashid strikes with the last ball of his first over. Seifert slog-swept him for six but was out next ball after missing another lusty yahoo. Jos Buttler did the rest.
New Zealand 54-0 (Seifert 27, Allen 26)
Overs 6
Sam Curran comes into the attack, though it's more like the defence at the moment. Allen wallops him over wide long-on for six to complete a superb Powerplay for New Zealand. The first over was a maiden; the last five have gone for 54.
New Zealand 44-0 (Seifert 26, Allen 17)
Overs 5
Fantastic batting from Seifert, who pummels successive deliveries from Archer for four, four and six - the last a big yahoo over midwicket. England are under pressure.
New Zealand 28-0 (Seifert 11, Allen 16)
Overs 4
Six more to Allen, driven imperiously over mid-off off the bowling of Dawson. Five singles make it 11 from the over. This is a good start for New Zealand on a used pitch that should produce a lowish-scoring game.
New Zealand 17-0 (Seifert 8, Allen 8)
Overs 3
Archer is slightly too full to Allen, who drives him handsomely over mid-on for six. He is such a dangerous player in this format.
New Zealand 8-0 (Seifert 7, Allen 1)
Overs 2
With two right-handers at the crease, Liam Dawson opens the bowling for England. A decent over is tarnished when Seifert sweeps the first boundary of the innings.
New Zealand 0-0 (Seifert 0, Allen 0)
Overs 1
Tim Seifert reviews successfully after being given out caught behind off Jofra Archer. England – and the umpire – thought there was an inside edge, but in fact it hit the flat of the pad. Even so, it’s a brilliant first over from Archer, a maiden to set the tone.
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TEAM NEWS
England bring in Rehan Ahmed for Jamie Overton, a reflection of how spin-friendly this pitch should be. New Zealand are unchanged.
New Zealand Seifert (wk), Allen, Ravindra, Phillips, Mitchell, Chapman, Santer (c), McConchie, Henry, Sodhi, Ferguson.
England Salt, Buttler (wk), Brook (c), Bethell, Banton, Curran, Jacks, Rehan, Dawson, Archer, Rashid.
NEW ZEALAND WIN THE TOSS AND BAT
That feels like a good toss to win on a pitch that should turn more and more as the match progresses.
WHAT'S AT STAKE TODAY
England are already through to the semi-finals after Harry Brook’s extraordinary century against Pakistan. New Zealand will join them if they win today, though they could yet go through with a defeat depending on the result of Sri Lanka v Pakistan.
If England win today they will play either India or West Indies in the semi-finals. Lose and they will face South Africa. Fair to say there’s no easy draw at this stage.
GOOD AFTERNOON
Hello and welcome to live, over-by-over coverage of England’s final Super Eights game against New Zealand in Colombo. The match starts at 1.30pm and we'll have the toss and team news shortly.
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