England beat New Zealand by four wickets, keeping Pakistan’s Semi-Final hopes alive

England defeated New Zealand by four wickets in a closely fought Super 8 clash at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, keeping Pakistan’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive.

Following New Zealand’s defeat, the race for the final-four spot between Pakistan and New Zealand will now be decided after Pakistan’s match against Sri Lanka national cricket team.

Pakistan must secure a convincing win, although net run rate could still prove decisive.

New Zealand currently have three points from two matches and would have sealed qualification with a victory. Their loss, however, has opened the door for Pakistan.

In the match played in Colombo, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and opted to bat first. The Black Caps posted 159 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs.

Glenn Phillips scored 39, Tim Seifert made 35, and Finn Allen contributed 29.

For England, Will Jacks, Rehan Ahmed and Adil Rashid claimed two wickets apiece.

England, with two wins, had already secured their place in the semi-finals. However, their victory over New Zealand has provided Pakistan with a crucial opportunity.

Pakistan have one point from two matches and will play their final Super 8 fixture against Sri Lanka.

If they win, qualification will come down to net run rate between Pakistan and New Zealand — but only because England have kept the contest alive with this result.