Colombo, Feb 27 (IANS) After claiming his fourth Player of the Match (POTM) award in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, composed Will Jacks credited his 32 off 18 deliveries innings as best as England beat New Zealand by four wickets with three balls to spare in their Group 2 Super 8 clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium.

Jacks’ composed 32 off 18 deliveries, coupled with Rehan Ahmed’s unbeaten 19 off just seven balls, helped England chase down 160 in a contest that swung wildly until the final over.

Reflecting on the award, Jacks said: “I reckon this is the best one. I’m absolutely buzzing with that, especially with how tight the finish was. When I went out there, the game was on a knife-edge, so I’m really happy.”

Chasing 160, England were rocked early by Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson, who struck within the first eight balls. Phil Salt and Jos Buttler fell with just two runs on the board, handing New Zealand early control.

Captain Harry Brook responded with composure, stitching an unbeaten 45-run stand with Jacob Bethell by the end of the powerplay to steady the chase. But Phillips turned the tide again, dismissing Brook for 26 with his first ball of the match and then producing a stunning diving catch to remove Bethell (21), leaving England in fresh trouble.

Jacks admitted clarity of thought was crucial in the tense finish. “It’s about keeping it simple. Rehan Ahmed played a brilliant innings, and everyone who went out there took a bit of time to adjust to how slow the surface was. That six off Glenn Phillips really shifted momentum and put them under pressure. From there, I just tried to play off that and stick to the plan.”

He revealed the pair had targeted a specific phase. “We spoke about taking a calculated risk in that 15th over and identified it as our matchup. For the other overs, it was about hitting into the gaps and running hard. It’s a big ground and a slow surface, so you’re not always clearing the ropes. The twos we picked up were really important.”

Earlier, New Zealand had posted 159/7 after being asked to bat. Despite a tidy opening partnership of Finn Allen and Tim Seifert and a counterattack of Glenn Philips, New Zealand’s innings was restricted in the end.

With 43 needed off 18 balls, the game hung in the balance. Phillips conceded 22 in an over under heavy assault, and Mitchell Santner was struck for 16 in the penultimate over, including a boundary first ball and a maximum off the last by Ahmed.

Henry, entrusted with the final over, could not prevent England from completing the chase.

“It’s been a great night personally, but finishing the game like that is what you want as a player,” Jacks said. On England’s form surge, he added: “Yeah, I feel really confident and calm in the middle right now. That calmness probably helps more than anything. As a team, we’re heading in the right direction – three wins in the Super 8 against strong sides, so we’re very happy going into the semi-finals.”

–IANS

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