A masterful spin performance by England left New Zealand reeling at 159 for 7 during their T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 game in Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium. Mitchell Santner’s decision to bat first after a toss win backfired as the English spinners dominated proceedings.
Seifert and Allen’s 64-run opening stand in 6.6 overs promised much—Seifert’s 35 (25 balls) and Allen’s 29 (19 balls) featured fireworks. But Rehan Ahmed removed Rachin Ravindra for 11, triggering a collapse. Chapman (15 off 9), Daryl Mitchell, and the rest struggled against the turning ball.
Phillips’ 39, with crisp boundaries and a maximum, was the highlight, supported by McConchie’s 14 and Santner’s quick 9*. Yet, seven wickets down exposed New Zealand’s fragility.
Will Jacks (4-0-23-2), Rehan Ahmed (2/28), and Adil Rashid (2/28) were the architects of this restriction. Captain Harry Brook’s squad—Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Bethell, Banton, Curran, Jacks, Dawson, Archer, Rashid—poised for success.
On a pitch assisting spinners, England’s strategy paid dividends, reminiscent of their white-ball prowess. New Zealand’s inability to rotate strike amid wickets cost dearly, making the chase a formality for the defending champions.