England’s dramatic comeback against New Zealand in the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 stage has captain Mitchell Santner tipping his hat to the victors. On Friday at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium, England chased down 160 with 4 wickets in hand, finishing the job in 19.3 overs despite a mid-innings collapse.
New Zealand had set a competitive 159 for 7, powered by Glenn Phillips’ 39 and Tim Seifert’s 35. England’s bowlers, led by Adil Rashid and Will Jacks with two wickets apiece, kept the score in check. But it was the chase that stole the show. Reeling at 117 for 6, Jacks (32 off 18) and Rehan Ahmed (19* off 7) forged a match-winning partnership, adding 44 unbeaten runs in 16 balls.
The pivotal moment came in the 18th over, bowled by Phillips, where Jacks hammered 22 runs to flip the game on its head. Post-match, Santner was candid: ‘England deserve full credit for their chasing effort. Jacks and Ahmed were phenomenal at the death.’ He admitted his side’s batters underperformed in the final overs and that 170-175 could have been more defendable.
Santner singled out Ahmed for his spin-playing prowess, noting minimal trouble on this surface. Victory would have propelled New Zealand straight to semis, but now their campaign hangs in balance. This thriller highlights England’s knack for improbable victories, with Jacks and Ahmed emerging as unlikely heroes in a tournament full of twists.