daniel chigunwe
ABU AHABI. — New Zealand ended England’s hopes at the Men’s T20 World Cup with a dramatic semi-final victory here yesterday.
The Black Caps were struggling in pursuit of 167 before Jimmy Neesham smashed three sixes to swing the game in their favour.
He fell for 27 from 11 balls in the 18th over but, with 20 needed from 12 balls, opener Daryl Mitchell took on the assault.
He hit Chris Woakes for two sixes, finishing 72 not out from 47 balls as New Zealand won by five wickets with an over to spare.
Defeat ended England’s quest to become the first team to hold both the men’s 50-overs and T20 World Cups at the same time. New Zealand, beaten in incredible fashion when the sides met in the 2019 World Cup final, will face Australia or Pakistan — who meet today — in Sunday’s show-piece.
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. — BBC Sport.
Online Reporter