New Zealand knockout England to qualify for first ever T20 World Cup final

By Champika Fernando in Abu Dhabi

Two years after a most spectacular 50-over World Cup final that broke the hearts of New Zealanders, the Kiwis delivered a knockout blow to England last night beating them by five wickets to enter the finals of the 20-over global showpiece for the first time in their cricketing history. 

England, a dominant force in white-ball cricket, could not stop the game’s “nice guys” from creating history as the crowds danced to a Sri Lankan traditional papare band playing at the Sheikh Zayad Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi yesterday.

England, put into bat first by Kane Williamson, powered their way to 166 for 4 on the back of a maiden half-century at this tournament from Moeen Ali and good knocks from Dawid Malan (41) and Jos Buttler (29).
But the total was chased down effectively, largely thanks to Daryl Mitchell’s unbeaten 72 (47 balls) and Jimmy Neesham’s quick-fire 27 off 11 balls, shattering England’s title hopes.

New Zealand needed 60 runs off the last five overs but Liam Livingstone struck with the first ball of the 16th over, removing Glenn Phillips to put England in a strong position. Livingstone finished with figures of 2 for 22 runs, with his last over conceding just three runs as New Zealand needed 57 off the last four overs.

However, Neesham plundered Chris Jordan for 23 runs off the 17th over as they brought the down the equation to 34 off the last three overs and a further 14 runs off the 18th over bowled by Adil Rashid. But big-hitting Neesham had to walk off giving a catch to Morgan at cover.

New Zealand needed 20 off the last two overs but it took only six balls for New Zealand to get over the line.
Mitchell’s masterful innings that included four sixes and four boundaries took New Zealand home with an over to spare. It was a comprehensive performance by the New Zealand cricketers who are now chasing history in the Sunday’s final.

England bowlers bowled well in the early part of the run chase but were treated with little respect in the later part as New Zealand hit six sixes and two boundaries in a final flourish to seal a remarkable run chase.
New Zealand’s chase was hurt by the early wickets of Martin Guptil and Kane Williamson. The pair were back in the dressing room when the total was just 13. Guptil dispatched the first ball of their innings to extra cover boundary but the bowler, Chris Woakes, had the last laugh when the batter miscued one to Ali fielding at mid-on. Williamson was Woakes’s second victim, when an attempted scoop was top-edged to Rashid fielding at short fine as New Zealand lost their second wicket.

With two down, it was a period of consolidation for the New Zealanders as Daryl Mitchell and Devon Conway maneuvered the field effectively, collecting singles and hitting the odd boundary as they reached 58 for 2 in the first half. With 109 runs needed to win in the final half, the pair pressed the accelerator, scoring 37 runs off 22 balls (between the over number 10 and 13.4 overs) before Conway dancing down the track to hit Livingstone straight and found himself stranded after missing the ball completely. Buttler collected it cleanly and dismantled the wicket, making a decisive breakthrough, ending an 82-run third wicket stand. Conway made 46.

But Neesham and Mitchell kept New Zealand in the hunt with a brilliant display of power-hitting as England looked like a deer caught in a headlight, not knowing how to stop the onslaught.

England were restricted to 67 runs for the loss of openers Jonny Bairstow and Buttler but after a brief rebuilding phase, England accelerated the scoring, hitting 99 runs off the next ten overs. England hit just nine boundaries in the first half and their first six of the innings came in the 16th over when Malan pumped Tim Southee over square leg-side boundary.

After Bairstow and Buttler were sent back to the dressing room, Ali and Malan put on 63 runs for the third wicket before Malan was dismissed by Tim Southee inducing a thin-edge in the second ball of his final over of the match as England lost their third wicket on 116 in the 16th over.

Malan who was let off by wicket keeper Devon Conwell diving to his left off Jimmy Neesham when he was on 10, was in good touch and his 41 off 30 with four boundaries and a six were crucial in England’s innings. Ali had made 37 in a losing cause in their final group game against South Africa. And he batted beautifully for his unbeaten 51, sharing a quick-fire 40 runs for the fourth wicket with big-hitting Liam Livingstone who was caught out at long off, off Mitchell Santner, while looking to clear the ropes in the second ball of the final over.

England would have been 164 for 5 had Glenn Phillips held onto an easy catch off the final ball of their innings. Phillips, running forward from deep cover, lost his footing and put down a sitter offered by English skipper Morgan off the bowling of Neesham, allowing England to collect two valuable runs.

 It was a decent effort in the field by the New Zealand bowlers led by Southee who bowled three tight powerplay overs.

Chief Scores
England 166-4 in 20 overs
(Moeen Ali 51, Dawid Malan 41; Jimmy Neesham 1-18)

New Zealand 167-5 in 19 overs
(Daryl Mitchell 72 n.o., Devon Conway 46, Jimmy Neesham 27; Chris Woakes 2-36, Liam Livingstone 2-22)