The historic R. Premadasa Stadium (RPS) in Colombo witnessed a high-octane cricket spectacle on Friday. England and New Zealand Locked horns in his 49th match ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. This Super Eights, Group 2 encounter was more than just a game; it was a battle of survival where individual brilliance met collective courage. Although the scoreboard reflected England’s victory, the highlight of the night belonged to one man: Glenn Phillips.
Glenn Phillips’ aerial stunner sends Jacob Bethell packing in the Super 8 thriller
In a tournament defined by athletic excellence, Phillips produced a moment that will be etched in T20 World Cup folklore. During the 9th round of England’s chase, New Zealand were eager to break the brewing partnership. Racine Ravindra dropped a delivery on the set Jacob Bethell (21 of 16). Bethell was associated with a violent shooting that appeared to be intended for the midwife border.
What followed was sheer gravity-defying theater. At deep mid-on, Phillips followed the trajectory of the ball with predatory focus. Avoiding the ropes at full tilt, he took a horizontal dive, catching the ball inches from the grass. It wasn’t just a catch; it was very difficult to judge the ball coming straight at him when he was moving at high speed.
Bethell’s dismissal at 58/4 rocked England and a Phillips Special momentarily swung the momentum to the Black Caps. The boldness of the feat – more difficult than diving sideways because of the risk of a face-off – highlighted why Phillips is considered one of the best strikers in the world.
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Will Jacks’ heroes deny New Zealand a guaranteed place in the semi-finals
Despite a masterclass from New Zealand, England managed a nail-biting 4-wicket win with just 3 balls to spare. Chasing a target of 160, England’s batting was a roller coaster ride. After a disastrous start, he saw the brave Phil Salt and If Buttler the middle order had to rebuild under immense pressure when they departed with just 2 runs on the board.
Racine Ravindra He was the destroyer in chief for the Kiwis, returning exceptional figures of 3/19 in 4 overs. He gave account to Bethel, Tom Banton (33) and Sam Curran (24), put England in a precarious position at 117/6. However, Will Jacks proved to be a difference maker. Jacks, who won the Man of the Match award, remained unbeaten on 18 off 32 balls at a strike rate of 177.77. His calm demeanor in the last innings is supported by 7 off 19 balls. Rehan AhmedHe took England to 161/6 in 19.3 overs.
New Zealand’s 159/7 at the start of the day was built on solid starts. Tim Seifert (35) and Phillips (39) but did not reach the final innings. England’s spin duo Adil Rashid and Jacks stifled the run flow, both taking both wickets. Jacks’ all-round knock – 2/23 with the ball and 32 with the bat – eventually broke New Zealand hearts and officially ended their hopes of reaching the semi-finals in this edition of the World Cup.
