England’s Spin Trio Chokes New Zealand to 159/7 in Super 8s Clash

Colombo, Feb 2026 : England’s spinners delivered a disciplined and decisive performance as England restricted New Zealand to 159/7 in 20 overs during their Group 2 Super 8s encounter of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Friday. Spin proved to be the difference as Adil Rashid, Will Jacks, and Rehan Ahmed claimed two wickets each to halt New Zealand’s momentum after a brisk start.

Electing to bat first, New Zealand began confidently, showing early intent against England’s pace attack. Jofra Archer bowled a tidy opening over, but the pressure soon eased as the Kiwi openers found their rhythm. Finn Allen and Tim Seifert countered effectively, handling testing spells from Sam Curran and Liam Dawson with composure.

After being kept quiet in the opening over, New Zealand accelerated sharply. The pair added 54 runs in the next five overs to complete the mandatory power-play, marking the first instance in seven matches of the tournament where England failed to strike during this phase. Their positive approach allowed New Zealand to seize early control, putting the English bowlers on the defensive.

The breakthrough, however, arrived via spin. Adil Rashid ended the 64-run opening stand with a clever, flighted delivery that tempted Seifert (35) out of his crease. The dismissal not only shifted momentum but also strengthened Rashid’s standing in T20 World Cup history. With 41 wickets in the competition, he moved closer to the record held by Shakib Al Hasan, while also surpassing Wanindu Hasaranga on the all-time list. Only Adam Zampa and Rashid Khan now stand ahead of him.

England tightened the screws immediately. Will Jacks struck in his very first over as Finn Allen (29) attempted an ambitious shot and was caught in the deep by Jacob Bethell. The quick dismissal of both set batters halted New Zealand’s flying start and swung the momentum firmly in England’s favour.

In the middle overs, Glenn Phillips offered resistance, displaying intent and composure against England’s quality spin attack. He added 31 runs with Rachin Ravindra, who struggled to impose himself and was dismissed for 11 after mistiming a pull shot to mid-wicket off Rehan Ahmed. Mark Chapman then joined Phillips, and the duo added a useful 26-run stand to keep New Zealand’s innings afloat.

However, England continued to strike at crucial intervals. Chapman departed for 15, and the pressure mounted as wickets fell steadily. Will Jacks capped an impressive all-round performance by removing Phillips, who top-scored with a fluent 39 off 28 balls. That dismissal effectively broke New Zealand’s resistance, leaving the lower order with too much to do.

The innings never fully recovered thereafter. England’s spinners maintained control in the final overs, conceding few boundaries and forcing errors. New Zealand lost their last four wickets for just 36 runs, as Rashid, Jacks, and Ahmed each finished with two scalps to restrict the total to a manageable 159/7.

With this disciplined bowling display, England underlined the value of spin in Colombo conditions and set the stage for their batters to chase a competitive, but achievable, target.

Brief Scores:
New Zealand 159/7 in 20 overs (Glenn Phillips 39, Tim Seifert 35; Will Jacks 2/23, Adil Rashid 2/28) vs England.