New Zealand's batsman Daryl Mitchell celebrates after winning the Cricket Twenty20 World Cup semi-final match against England in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021. New Zealand beat England by 5 wickets with 6 balls remaining. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)England vs New Zealand, T20 World Cup 1st Semi-Final Highlights: New Zealand entered the final of the ICC T20 World Cup with a five-wicket win over England in a thrilling first semifinal here on Wednesday.
Chasing 167 to win, Daryl Mitchell anchored the innings with a sensational unbeaten 72 off 47 balls, while Devon Conway scored a 38-ball 46. James Neesham smashed 27 off 11 runs to play a crucial role in the chase.
Chris Woakes (2/36) and Liam Livingstone (2/22) were the most successful bowlers for England. Earlier, invited to bat, England posted 166 for four riding on Moeen Ali’s 51 not out and some useful contributions from Dawid Malan (42), Jos Buttler (29) and Liam Livingstone (17). For New Zealand, Tim Southee (1/24), Adam Milne (1/31), Ish Sodhi (1/32) and James Neesham (1/18) were the wicket-takers.
Brief scores:
England: 166 for 4 in 20 overs (Moeen Ali 51 not out, Dawid Malan 42; Tim Southee 1/24).
New Zealand: 167 for 5 in 19 overs (Daryl Mitchell 72; Liam Livingstone 2/22).
England
166/4 (20.0)New Zealand
167/5 (19.0)New Zealand beat England by 5 wickets
There were two things Daryl Mitchell did for which he needs appreciation beyond the big hits. He could have stolen a run, and most batsman would have done, with the team still needing 34 off 18. But from the non-striker's end he turned down Jimmy Neesham's call because he felt he had got in the way of Adil Rashid, the bowler. A lovely moment in the white heat of a high pressure game. Once he found his timing and his bat started booming towards the business end of the innings, Mitchell was all grace when he hit the winning runs. He had got the full toss from Chris Woakes to the backward square-leg boundary to finish the game. And then all the pent up adrenalin came rushing out. Being the son of a Haka-dancing All Black John, a victory scream was par for the course. Mitchell started with the eyes popping and veins showing scream but stopped half way. Almost like he suddenly remembered that the Black Caps didn't celebrate over the top. He turned abruptly when he saw the vanquished captain Eoin Morgan from the corner of his eye. All calm now, Mitchell walked up to Morgan shook hands, patted him on the shoulder and had a quiet word. After the power-hitting in the middle, Mitchell was most graceful in his final act of the night.
A wicket-keeper since his junior days, Jonny Bairstow has spent many hours diving around on the field. Behind the stumps with his gloves on, he has trained hard to scoop up the edges flying towards him. But here he was playing probably the most important T20 game of his life and England's fortunes depended on his diving catch. But this was cricket. Pardon the pun, there was a catch. This was no edge but a middle of the bat slog. He didn't have his gloves on and he was on the boundary ropes. Had Jimmy Neesham hit the ball a bit harder, Bairstow would have merely watched the ball sail over the fence. If the shot was slightly less powerful, he wouldn't have to dive. This was a cruel skier, it lingered over the rope for a while and the stadium watched Bairstow with open mouth. Will it drop in or out? Will Bairstow catch it or not? He dived, he got the ball in his hands but his knee touched the boundary rope. This was a game of small margins. New Zealand had won by a few millimeters.
It's a bit of a whirl. Couldn't remember what was going on, but happy I got the job done. It was a challenging surface, with the new ball, and it was two-paced. The way Conway set the platform and Neesh hit a few out of the ground was amazing. We knew one or two good overs would do it, and we got the momentum back thanks to Neesham's hitting. With what's going on around the world right now, it's amazing that my old man travelled half way around the world to watch me play, so this is a proud moment.
167 NZ vs Eng 2021
165 Nam vs Net 2021
163 HK vs Afg 2015
158 Aus vs WI 2021
154 Ire vs HK 2019
150 HK vs Oman 2015
And a 1 run now. 5 needed from 8 now. NZ are almost there. What a turnaround. Another 1 to follow. Mitchell on strike for the last ball. Will he end this? And yes. Revenge for 2019. It's over. Mitchell and Neesham has dragged New Zealand over the line. They win by 5 wickets.
And a 6 by Mitchell. They need 12 from 10 balls now. Almost home. And another to follow. What a 6 by Mitchell. 6 from 9 needed.
18th over. Rasid to bowl. And another 6 by Neesham. He has turned this match on its head. It's sent to deep mid-wicket. And now Michell hits one for a 6. Too short, and nailed high over long-on! 50 up for Mitchell. What a couple of overs. And it's a wicket. Neesham is gone. BIG WICKET. NZ 147/5 after 18 overs.
17th over now. And Jordan to bowl. And Neesham explodes for a 6 in the first ball. And 2 leg byes to follow. And a wide to follow. Oh dear. And four more. NZ need Neesham to stay strong and drag his team over the line. And another great bit of fielding. Is it a 6, is it a wicket? And it's been given a 6. Briilliant fielding but for naught. And it's again skied. But both England players leave it to each other. NZ 133/4 after 17 overs.
16th over and it's gone. Tossed up on off stump, driven through the line, but it's a spiralling leading edge!. Billings sets himself at long-off, and makes no mistake! Huge wicket! Livingstone is dragging this contest England's way now... NZ lose 4th. NZ 107/4 after 15.1 overs.
15th over starts. Mark Wood in the attack. And 100 up for NZ in this over. And Mitchell has got hold of one and hit it straight for a four. Can't set a field for that. Mitchell moving close to that half century. And another one. Banged in short, well directed too, but Mitchell swings hard off the eyebrows, and the top-edge flies safe through fine leg! 10 off this one. NZ 107/3 after 15 overs.
And they have taken Conway. Dragged down the track, beaten by the turn! Out of the front of the hand from Livingstone, Conway runs straight past it in his eagerness to get a move on, and Buttler flicks off the bails. A valiant hand, but a vital incision! NZ 95/3 after 13.4 overs.
And the 13th over starts. The fifth ball was tossed up, sliced high to long-off ... and Jordan saves six brilliantly inside the rope! Brilliant bit of fielding. But no! It's clipped the boundary triangle, and that's six! NZ 92/2 after 13 overs.
The 11th over starts. And it's lumped back through the line! Mitchell loiters on the back foot and pans the length ball hard back through Wood's shins! Great four.And the third ball is a no ball. And a SIXXXXXXXXXXXX by Conway. NZ finally showing intent. 15 off this one. NZ 73/2 after 11 overs.
Abused and vilified in football by a section of the Newcastle United fan-base, Steve Bruce found comfort in cricket. The former Newcastle manager, the fall guy in the club’s ownership change, was enjoying his cricket at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, cheering on for England during their semifinal against New Zealand. Bruce has been in UAE since the England versus Australia group league game, a happy departure from the tribalism and toxicity in English football. He had even received death threats for Newcastle’s on-pitch travails. “I don’t go on it (social media), but, of course people close to me do and they are sensitive towards their father, of course, and yes (there have been death threats),” he had said back then. Last week, his son Alex had posted a photo from the cricket stadium. And thanked Jonny Bairstow for the tickets. “What a great day, Dad and Lad’s day out, well done England and thanks for the tickets @jbairstow21.,' he had posted on Instagram After managing more than 1,000 matches in his career, when it was done, the former Manchester United captain turned to his other passion. Like England football team manager Gareth Southgate, Bruce is also a big cricket fan. And has been following an English team, that wins a fair bit.
9th over starts. Wood brought into the attack again. Wood was expensive in the last match but in this match, he is taking advantage of the bigger ground. 5 off the over. NZ 50/2 after 9 overs.
Wood in to bowl the 7th over. Gave just 5 off it. The 8th over underway now. Rashid has come in to bowl. New Zealand need to go after the bowlers now. Someone has to take a risk. Four of this over. NZ 45/2 after 8 overs.
31/4 vs WI (Won)
27/3 vs Ban (Won)
21/3 vs Aus (Won)
40/3 vs SL (Won)
40/1 vs SA (Lost)
36/2 vs NZ
The last over in the powerplay. Great start by Conway. A four off Rashid in the first ball of the over. Plenty of time to rock back and punch this firmly through extra cover. And a four to end the powerplay. NZ 36/2 after 6 overs.
Woakes back to bowl the 5th over. Penultimate over before powerplay ends. Aaaaaaand Mitchell has hit a good four. Perfectly placed. Two runs off the next three balls. Can NZ end this over with a flourish? Nope. 8 off the over. NZ 26/2 after 5 overs.
4th over starts. England tightening the screws on this New Zealand innings. Would have been a maiden if not for that wide ball. Not to be. A four by Conway to end the over. Sent to deep extra cover. NZ 18/2 after 4 overs.