Jos Buttler takes the Player of the Matchfor his excellent knock in his 100th T20I.
England are currently placed fourth in the group standings. © AFP
England go 2nd on the standings now!Much needed win this.
England win by 20 runs
That collapse of 4 for 16 in the death overs was never going to allow New Zealand to overhaul this 180-run target. 40 off the final 2 overs was never going to be easy. Four of them perishing in the attempt to take on the bowlers as the asking rate spikes! England did well after being hit for 54 in 30 balls since the drinks break. Just the kind of comeback they needed to close out the game, and they have. Phillips excellent 62 is in vain tonight as NZ fall 20 short.
Phillips departs, NZ slip
Another one bites the dust. Daryl Mitchell tries to take on Woakes and goes for a lofted drive. Jordan runs to his right and takes an easy catch. Jordan grabs another one as Curran returns to take out the dangerman Phillips in the 18th over. Miscued a length ball straight to the fielder and stands there in disbelief. Gave NZ a real chance with that acceleration but has to go now for 36-ball 62.
Stokes breaks crucial stand
Williamson departs and he's furious with himself. Short and tad slower from Stokes. Williamson wanted to cut. Gets the outside edge that flies straight to Rashid at short third man. Williamson has to go for run-a-ball 40. NZ have scored 54 in ov 11-15 - good recovery this.
100 for NZ
Phillips gets them there with the first of the back-to-back sixes off Adil Rashid in the 14th over. He's making England pay for the earlier drop. Brings up his fifty off just 25 balls, in the same over.
Halfway through
NZ have moved onto 66/2 despite the few boundaries from in-form Phillips. KW at the moment is going slower than run-a-ball but will have to accelerate soon enough. They need 104 off the final 60 balls and can't afford to waste more time.
Powerplay: 40/2
Eight behind where England were at the end of their powerplay, and have lost two wickets too. England in control for now.
Curran strikes
...in his first over! He's taken out Finn Allen with a slower ball. Banged in, Allen is through early with his pull. Stokes comes running in from midwicket to take that as NZ slip to 28/2 after 5.
Conway departs early
Didn't look at ease through his brief stay and now perishes trying to hit his way out of trouble. Inside edges a pull off Chris Woakes to behind the stumps where Buttler puts in a full stretch dive.
Back for New Zealand's chase.
England finish with 179/6
A 16-run over to cap off an manic England innings here. Lockie Ferguson conceded a six to Sam Curran, bowled a no-ball, survived the freehit ball and then dismissed Ben Stokes with a fine yorker. England picked up 69 runs off the last 36 balls to make most of the start that was provided by the openers. This is a fine effort for a team that is chasing fiercely after a SF qualification. Should New Zealand chase this down, they become the first semifinalists of the tournament. Refill your popcorn tubs, because the chase is going to be fascinating!
End of Buttler's knock
The England captain falls for an exceptional 73 off just 47 balls. Stokes drove a Southee ball powerfully but it went straight to cover. Buttler wanted a single but Stokes turned him down. Buttler then didn't make his ground on time and was run out.
Harry Brooks's cameo is over:He goes for 7 off 3 giving Southee a wicket after hitting him for a six.
Lockie Ferguson removes Liam Livingstone
The big-hitter was timing his brutal hits already and was looking to pre-meditate a scoop against Lockie Ferguson but he missed his shot and Ferguson hit... the stumps. Buttler meanwhile is into his 70s.
STAT: Jos Buttler is now the leading run-scorer for England in T20Is with 2459 in 92 innings. He goes past former captain Eoin Morgan.
Fifty for Buttler.Gets there in 35 balls.
Mooen falls
Can't control his pull, and Mooen is sent it high up. Man from long-on runs in and settles under it. EAsy take in the end as Sodhi strikes first ball of his final over. Finishes a fine spell with 1/23. Buttler's on the attack meanwhile. One away from his fifty in a milestone game.
Hales departs
Gets to a fifty off Santner first ball after drinks break but the spinners slows up the next one and throws it a bit wide. Hales is unable to reach it as the ball spins away and Conway does the rest behind the sticks. 39-ball fifty and gone right after. Good over for New Zealand as they have the first breakthrough. Here's Mooen Ali.
Powerplay: England 48/0
Powerplay done but not without bit of drama. Williamson takes a catch to send Buttler on his way but he wasn't sure if it was clean, and duly the replays are checked. Buttler, almost the ropes, now returns to the middle because KW has actually shelled it. He offers an apology!
First signs of attack
After four modest overs, Hales says he's had enough. Welcomes Southee back into the attack with a flat six over mid-on, and follows it up with back to back boundaries a ball later. First big over for England, who are now 40/0 after 5 overs.
All set for live action. Boult has the new ball. Buttler on strike.
National anthems are underway
100th T20I for England's Jos Buttler
Playing XIs
New Zealand:Finn Allen, Devon Conway(w), Kane Williamson(c), Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult
England:Jos Buttler(w/c), Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
Both teams are unchanged for this key clash.
TOSS: England opt to bat first
Toss coming up in 5, stay tuned!
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka stay alive with a six-wicket victory over Afghanistan. They take the 3rd spot in the standings, and have pushed England down to 4th.
While we wait for Sri Lanka's chase in the earlier game of today's double header, here's the ENGvsNZ match preview from Ganesh.
Hello!
A lot of recent, drama-filled World Cup history between today's opponents - England and New Zealand - that needs no reminders. But all of that's in the past. This is a fresh World Cup, a group of death so to say and the semis spot is on the line. England today would want to win this one, keep their campaign alive and also upstage Australia in that top-two spots. New Zealand, with a two-point advantage already and strangely also the support of Australia today, would love to be the first to nail down a semis spot. High stakes game ahead. Stay tuned!