T20 World Cup: New Zealand end England's hopes with dramatic semi-final win

By Matthew HenryBBC Sport

Last updated on .From the section Cricketcomments283

ICC Men's T20 World Cup, Abu Dhabi
England 166-4 (20 overs): Moeen 51* (37), Malan 41 (30); Southee 1-24, Milne 1-31
New Zealand 167-5 (19 overs): Mitchell 72* (47)
New Zealand won by five wickets
Scorecard.

New Zealand ended England's hopes at the Men's T20 World Cup with a dramatic semi-final victory in Abu Dhabi.

The Black Caps were struggling in pursuit of 167 before Jimmy Neesham smashed three sixes to swing the game in his side's favour.

He fell for 26 from 10 balls in the 18th over but, with 20 now needed from 12 balls, opener Daryl Mitchell took on the assault, hitting Chris Woakes for two sixes.

With England's bowlers struggling at the death, Mitchell ended 72 not out from 47 balls as New Zealand won by five wickets with an over to spare.

It ends England's quest to become the first team to hold both the mens' 50 and 20-over World Cups at the same time.

New Zealand, beaten in incredible fashion when the same sides met in the 2019 World Cup, will face Australia or Pakistan in Sunday's final.

New Zealand turn the tables on England

The win may not avenge England's victory on that famous day at Lord's in 2019 - it's unlikely anything could - but, as many of the same New Zealand players celebrated Mitchell hitting the winning runs, it may not hurt quite so much.

As with that game, there were dramatic swings in this one and England looking strong favourites through much of the chase.

Woakes looked to have dealt the crucial blows in the opening three overs when he had the dangerous Martin Guptill caught off a leading edge for four and captain Kane Williamson taken at short fine leg for five.

Even as Mitchell and Devon Conway combined for a stand of 82, it felt like England were in control, with the required run-rate climbing. But Neesham, who batted in that 2019 super over loss, played the crucial, match-winning hand this time.

With 57 needed from 24 balls he swiped Chris Jordan for two leg-side sixes. As 23 runs came from that over - four of them extras - England's bowling began to buckle.

Neesham followed that by thrashing Adil Rashid high and long for six over mid-wicket in the following over and, from nowhere, New Zealand were cantering towards victory.

The left-hander was caught at extra cover off the final ball of the 18th to give England a glimmer of hope, but when Woakes faltered, Mitchell pounced. Two more leg-side sixes were hit and New Zealand had their dramatic success.

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288 comments

  • Comment posted by gooner7, today at 17:49

    Absolutely appalling bowling in last 5 overs. Well done NZ, deserved the win.

    • Reply posted by LMAV, today at 17:52

      LMAV replied:
      NZ didn't let us bowl well, good on them.

  • Comment posted by AJ, today at 17:49

    Well done & Credit to NZ, showing real strength in depth and an outstanding performance from Mitchell.

    England just fell short on this occasion, not a shambles by any stretch of the imagination, NZ just turned up and deserved to win at the end.

    • Reply posted by duncan brownley, today at 17:54

      duncan brownley replied:
      Both innings took a while to get going and just they had that little extra zip and the experience just failed us with the ball.

      That's the way the cookie crumbles.

  • Comment posted by big G, today at 17:53

    WOW 57 runs from 3 overs when it mattered. That was some awful bowling by Jordon. Bottled it and blew it. Hope he can recover from this. New Zealand cricket team and captain are definately a wonderful example to kids growing up. Play sport how it's meant to be played 👋

    • Reply posted by Pri1802 , today at 18:01

      Pri1802 replied:
      There were 2 balls from Wood that were clearly wides, over the head. The one Morgan appealed for a catch (as a distraction), the other Buttler caught the ball and ran to the other side indicating the over was up. Play of the day was when NZ didn't take a run after Rashid was blocked...sums up the characters of both sides.

  • Comment posted by blue_ric, today at 17:51

    And that is international T20 cricket. Well done NZ. Bad luck England.

  • Comment posted by David McManus, today at 17:51

    Terrible bowling at the death by Rashid, Woakes and Jordan. They simply wilted under pressure. Mills would have made no difference, he goes out of the park also. Well done Livingstone for a terrific effort.

    • Reply posted by liverpool supporter right here, today at 17:53

      liverpool supporter right here replied:
      How was it possible to lose that match from such a strong position. Our game management in this format is terrible when it is knockout match

  • Comment posted by CarlosReel, today at 17:51

    Well played NZ. Fully deserved for not giving up. Please go on and win.

    Englands loss of Roy and Mills showed today but you cant use that as an excuse, NZ were simply better.

    • Reply posted by Meluhha, today at 17:57

      Meluhha replied:
      @ CarlosReel "Englands loss of Roy and Mills showed today but you cant use that as an excuse, NZ were simply better".

      In the same sentence you blamed England's loss on the absence of Roy and Mills. What a genius you are

  • Comment posted by Spoondog, today at 17:49

    Fair play to NZ. Hope they win the final. England didn't have anyone who did what Neesham did & NZ hit twice as many 6's, whilst we wasted far too many deliveries (plus Buttler got out) trying to reverse sweep. Also apart from Livingstone, I didn't think we bowled very well after the first 4 overs. Bit unlucky with the injuries, but I think this was more down to who executed better on the day.

    • Reply posted by liverpool supporter right here, today at 17:58

      liverpool supporter right here replied:
      Terrible game management from Wngland in the last five overs. What an earth was Jordan bowling as he was awful. Rashid look like he has got worse as a bowler. Well at least Woakes and Livingstone bowled well. But we badly missed Tymal Mills

  • Comment posted by cjb, today at 17:54

    What a great sporting nation

    Ive a lot family in NZ, and 1 thing about these people - they play hard and honest, win or lose, they are simply the best face of professional sport.

    For a tiny nation where cricket isn't even their No1 game, their achievements in all 3 forms of game are literally staggering.

    India population - 1.4 billion
    UK population 65 million

    NZ - 5 million

    INCREDIBLE

    • Reply posted by rybizyn2, today at 17:56

      rybizyn2 replied:
      Agreed, Honest Nation

  • Comment posted by piemanbob, today at 17:55

    Another classic and I thought england would win with six overs to go.
    Neesham take a bow.
    New Zealand ... well played sirs ... especially when an easy single wasn't taken because the batter impeded Adil Rashid ... sportsmanship of the highest order.
    I wish either Archer and or Mills had been fit but that's the way it goes ... good luck in the final.

  • Comment posted by in5wknaa, today at 17:55

    Well done NZ, Mitchell not taking that single when he accidentally obscured Rashid was just pure class. They’re a brilliant team and they play hard cricket but fair cricket, I’ll be supporting them in the final. As for England, another great tournament, bring on the Ashes

  • Comment posted by lostin50, today at 17:54

    It's been a great tournament for England and a bit better for NZ. Well done for the game where sportsmanship still counts for something.

  • Comment posted by Comercial Darkness, today at 17:54

    Credit to NZ, they kept their heads & England lost theirs after the brilliant Livingstone over that looked like England had it..
    No idea why Moeen didn't bowl.

  • Comment posted by Jackie Moon, today at 17:51

    Sadistically, I almost enjoy losing to NZ. What a game and what a team of pure Gents. Good luck!

    • Reply posted by Geoffreys mums stick of rhubarb, today at 18:05

      Geoffreys mums stick of rhubarb replied:
      Yes when they didn't take the single due to batsman 'obstructing' the bowler it was still in the balance. Quality that by NZ.

  • Comment posted by Foxes Never Die, today at 17:50

    I guess all those narky comments made on the BBC live reporting about NZs scoring rate come back to bite you:)

  • Comment posted by ciderslaphead, today at 17:56

    Doubtless there will be numerous comments saying words to the effect that - ‘Oh, but if we’d won the toss then we’d have beaten the Kiwis’ …
    But we didn’t - so I just hope that we can take this defeat in as sporting a way as NZ did in the World Cup final in 2019.
    Well played NZ - you were the better team on the day.

  • Comment posted by CriticalPoint, today at 17:53

    New Zealand: the team that no one wants to play but the bookies/pundits seem to always write off.

    Such a small country. Nowhere near close to being as populous as half of England, but their foundations are so strong in sport.

    Wish them well for the final.

    Credit to England as well - that wasn’t the easiest of pitches but the Kiwis out-batted and our-bowled them when under pressure.

  • Comment posted by TotallyUnneutral, today at 17:53

    Congratulations New Zealand, very well played. If we had to lose to anyone I'm glad it was you. Great sportsman, great attitude and absolute gentleman.

  • Comment posted by liverpool supporter right here, today at 17:55

    Well done New Zealand. An incredible performance from a team when you looked like you were going to lose it. You showed a lot of guys and heart and I hope you win the World Cup for the first time in your history

  • Comment posted by Harry, today at 17:53

    Well played NZ, they deserved the win.

    As for England, Jordan’s fielding doesn’t justify his place in the side and he got found out today. It took him eight balls to get one on target at a crucial stage of the game. Please no more from him, the yorker he used to bowl so well is a thing of the past

  • Comment posted by RobboTheKitten, today at 17:55

    England’s to lose; England unbeatable? England the best white ball team in history to date? Well, today was a lesson in the vicissitudes of sport. I blame the media, though, who hyped them to the hills. This is a very, very good England team but it didn’t happen today. So be it and end of.

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