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ABU DHABI. — Eoin Morgan’s England have been hit by injuries but go into today’s Twenty20 Cricket World Cup semi-final as favourites against New Zealand, two years after both sides clashed in a dramatic 50-over final.
England have lost opening batsman Jason Roy and pace bowler Tymal Mills but they sealed a final-four place with four wins in five Super 12 games.
Roy collapsed on the pitch with a calf injury in England’s final group match that they lost to South Africa and was later ruled out of the tournament and replaced by James Vince.
England’s aggressive brand of cricket got them past West Indies, Bangladesh, Australia and Sri Lanka with clinical ease to finish as group leaders ahead of the Aussies. But the Kiwis are no pushovers and who better than England to appreciate the Black Caps’ worth after they needed a super over to edge out Kane Williamson’s side when the 2019 ODI World Cup final finished in a tie.
“If England and New Zealand provide a fraction of the drama they did on a glorious afternoon at Lord’s in July 2019, then the T20 World Cup might get the spark it desperately craves this week,” former England captain Mike Atherton wrote in The Times. — SAFP.
Online Reporter