इंग्लैंड vs न्यूजीलैंड, सुपर 8 - मैच 9, आर.प्रेमदासा स्टेडियम, कोलम्बो, 27 February 2026 - कमेंट्री

Matt Henry scoots from over the wicket and bangs a bouncer, on off, Will Jacks pulls it to deep mid-wicket and gets a single. New Zealand desparetely need a wicket, or a dot delivery here. 

Another bouncer, on middle. Rehan Ahmed skips down the track and hammers it down to deep mid-wicket for another single. 3 required off 4 balls!

FOUR! A boundary will be more than enough for England as they have crossed the line with a smile on their faces. Henry bowls his third consecutive bouncer on middle. Will Jacks rocks back and pulls it late but through the short fine leg region for four runs. ENGLAND BEAT NEW ZEALAND BY 4 WICKETS!

FOUR! The penultimate over starts off with a boundary. The pressure is on the Kiwi skipper. Santner pitches it fuller, but way wide outside off, around the tramline. Rehan Ahmed covers the stumps and reverse sweeps it aerially, over the backward point region for four runs. 

Mitchell Santner drags his length back, on the sixth stump. Rehan Ahmed shuffles wide across the stumps and bunts it to cover to get a single.

Flat and short, wide outside off, Will Jacks slaps it to the left of the long on fielder and gets a couple of runs. 

This is good from England and for once, Mitchell Santner shows some emotions. He was stone-faced and motionless even when Glenn Phillips was jumping up and down on dismissing Harry Brook, but now, seems to be frustrated. Landed outside off, Will Jacks goes back and punches it past cover once again, to the left of long off. Once again, Rehan charges back for the second at the non-striker's end and Santner collects the throw and removes the bails off in disgust.

Outside off, punched through point for a single.

SIX! Rehan, O Rehan! That's what Pakistan would be singing. What a quality shot. Tossed up, outside off, Rehan Ahmed comes down the track and looks to go inside out. He is not to the pitch of the ball but still, goes through with his shot. It seems a bit mistimed but somehow, the power on the shot carries the ball way over the long off fielder! 16 from the over, 38 in the last 2!

Phillips pitches it outside off and turns it in. Will Jacks shuffles across the stump to heave it away, but takes a blow on his body. The ball rolls to the leg side and the batter gets a leg bye.

SIX! Shot of authority! Flighted, fuller, on off and middle. Rehan Ahmed charges down the track to get to the pitched area of the ball and smokes it over the long on fence for a 94-meter biggie.

Flatter and shorter, on middle, Rehan Ahmed reverse sweeps it from the inner part of his bat to backward point. Single taken.

SIX! VIOLENCE! Tossed up, outside off, Will Jacks comes down the track, gets to the pitch of the ball and flicks it casually. But such is the power that the ball travels over the fielder at deep mid-wicket! 29 more needed from 14 balls!

FOUR! 'England need one more boundary in this over,' chirped Ian Smith on air just before this ball. And Jacks obeys him. A full toss, on middle, Jacks comes forward and hammers this past the non-striker. Long on is pretty wide and cannot get to the ball!

FOUR MORE! 22 FROM THE OVER! How costly will this turn out to be as the match ends? Short, around middle, Will Jacks goes back and drags the pull through square leg. Lockie Ferguson at deep backward square leg charges to his left, dives but the ball just goes past his despairing dive!

Rachin Ravindra starts off with a short-length delivery, wide outside off, Will Jacks slaps it to long off and gets a single.

Oh boy, that's great running between the wickets! A tad fuller, on off, Tom Banton gives it a mere push to the left of the short cover fielder. Will Jacks from the other end calls for the single and sprints hard. Great pick up and throw from Mitchell Santner, but Will Jacks is quick to get the single.

Short, outside off, Will Jacks looks to switch hit, but misses. 

Short, outside off, spinning away, Will Jacks backs away and slaps it towards long off for a single.

OUT! CAUGHT! And the set batter departs! For a part-timer, Ravindra possesses excellent bowling figures - 3.5-0-19-3! Not the best of deliveries, but Ravindra won't care. Short and outside off, begging to be hit. Tom Banton rocks back and pulls but the ball barely gets any kind of pace from the wicket. As a result, Banton cannot get any elevation or power. Hits it, or rather, mishits it towards deep mid-wicket, where Mark Chapman completes the catch near the ropes. From 100/4, ENGLAND ARE NOW 117/6! Equation - 43 runs, 19 balls.

Outside off, fractionally short, Rehan Ahmed looks to cut but misses. A wicket and 3 runs from the over!

FOUR! What a shot that is from Jacks! A touch fuller, on middle and off. Will Jacks rocks back and reverse sweeps it over the backward point region for four runs.

Full, on middle, Will Jacks rolls his wrists to flick it, but offers his shot a bit early. Gets the leading edge and the ball rolls back to the bowler.

Sodhi pitches it up, outside off, Will Jacks lunges and drives it to deep point for a single.

SIX! CARESSED! That is some way to play spin. Tossed up, outside off, Tom Banton comes down the track, stays leg side of the ball and with the away spin, lofts it beautifully over cover. The ball picks up flight and travels way into the crowd! Banton moves to 30 (20) and England now need another 48 runs from 26 balls!

On middle and off, Banton goes back and with soft hands, wrists it through mid-wicket, charging back for the second.

Full and around off, Tom lunges to block. 13 from the over!

High up in the air, but drops safely! Rachin Ravindra tosses it up, fuller on off and middle. Tom Banton gets down on one knee to sweep it uppishly, but gets the top edge. The ball balloons toward the deep square leg region and drops between the two fielders converging to take the catch. Two runs taken.

Short, outside off, Tom Banton slaps it to cover for a single. 100 up for England!

OUT! CAUGHT! Rachin Ravindra gets a big, big wicket here. He delivers it fuller, pitching it well outside off and turning into the stumps. Sam Curran clears his front foot to swat it with the spin of the delivery, but miscues the shot. The ball loops to deep mid-wicket, where Glenn Phillips gets underneath the skier and pouches the catch safely near his chest. The quickfire 42-run stand has been broken. ENGLAND ARE 100/5 AND NEED ANOTHER 60 RUNS FROM 33 BALLS!

Short, around off, Will Jacks punches it towards cover.

Short again, outside off, pretty slow through the air and stops in the pitch as well after landing. Jacks goes for the cut but mistimes it towards the bowler.

Oohhh... in the air... but flies wide. Full, around off, Will looks to go inside out but the ball grips in the surface a touch and comes late. The batter cannot control his shot and chips this aerially, but wide of short extra cover, for a run towards long off.

SIX! BOOM! Targeting the shorter side now. Ish Sodhi comes from over the wicket and bowls outside off, Sam Curran picks the length early and pulls it over deep mid-wicket for a massive six.

Short, around off, Sam Curran drills it back to the bowler.

Pitches it fuller, does Sodhi. Sam Curran looks to nudge it to mid-wicket, but gets beaten on the outside edge.

Short and outside off, googly, Sam Curran mistimes his heave to deep mid-wicket. Daryl Mitchell moves to his left, but doesn't commit to the catch. He stays back and protects the boundary. Single taken.

Short, around leg, Tom Banton makes room and pushes it to cover.

Short of a length, on leg, Tom Banton clips it to deep mid-wicket and gets a comfortable single.

Short, outside off, Sam Curran pulls it hard but straight to short mid-wicket.

FOUR! The runs are piling thick and fast now! Much short, on leg, Sam Curran goes deep into the crease and pulls it to deep fine leg for four runs.

Short and wide outside off, Sam Curran misses his cut.

Short and outside off, Sam Curran punches it to extra cover.

Short, outside off, Sam Curran cuts it to extra cover.

Short, on middle, Sam Curran pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Full, on middle, Sam Curran punches it to long off for a single.

MISFIELD AND FOUR! This one is fuller, pitching outside off, Tom Banton sweeps it away toward the deep mid-wicket region. Cole McConchie is the man who gets a bit puzzled about whether to go for the catch or to stay back and field safe. He chooses the latter one, but fumbles, and the ball rolls away to the boundary ropes.

Full, just outside off, Tom Banton punches it to long off for a single.

Short, on leg, Sam Curran defends it down the track.

Short, outside off, Sam Curran cuts it wide of backward point. Lockie Ferguson dives and makes a half stop. Single taken.

FOUR! Nicely played! Full, outside off, Tom Banton skips down the track and punches it downtown to get four more runs. Glenn Phillips moves to his left and even gets fingertips on it, but the ball manages to escape from the bowler's grasp.

Short, outside off, Sam Curran steers it to short third.

Short and wide outside off, Sam Curran punches it back to the bowler.

FOUR! SHOT! Short of a length, wide outside off, Sam Curran slaps it through cover for four runs.

Short, outside off, Sam Curran punches it to right of long off for a brace.

Short, on middle, Sam Curran pats it to long off and gets a single.

Full, on leg, Tom Banton pushes it to the right of long off and gets a couple of runs.

Low full toss, on off, Sam Curran pulls it to wide long on for a single.

NEW ZEALAND LOSE A REVIEW. Phillips delivers fuller this time, pitching it on middle and turning in. Tom Banton looks to reverse sweep but fails to make the connection and gets hit on his front pad. After a brief discussion, skipper Mitchell Santner agrees to take the review. The UltraEdge pops up and shows a little spike before the ball touches the bat, but as it gets close to the inner edge, the spikes increase. So the on-field decision stands on as Not Out. Later after the verdict, Phillips goes up to the umpire and asks that there was already a spike before the ball was close to the bat, but the umpire dodges the query. Not his concern, to be honest, it is the judgement from the third umpire. Ball Tracking later reveals that the ball would have spun down the leg side anyway.

Full, on middle, Sam Curran pushes it to long on for a single.

Full, outside off, Tom Banton flicks it to mid-wicket.

Short, on off, Tom Banton defends it to the off side.

Short, on middle, Tom Banton sweeps it to the right of Lockie Ferguson at deep square leg and gets a brace.

Rachin Ravindra joins the attack now and bowls it fuller, on off, Jacob Bethell drives it to extra cover. The fielder dives to his right and gets some hands on it. The ball gets deflected toward mid off and the batter gets a single.

Full, on the stumps, Tom Banton defends it down the track.

Rachin drags his length back, on middle, Tom Banton nudges it to mid-wicket for a single.

OUT! CAUGHT! Oh, what a catch that is, and who else could it be? It's none other than Glenn Phillips. Ravindra delivers it shorter than the previous delivery, on off and middle. Jacob Bethell transfers his weight on the back foot and pulls it hard and flat toward the mid-wicket region. It's Glenn Phillips, who spots the opportunity, spins in front and dives before taking the catch just above the green turf. And he celebrates again, this time for the catch. From 50/2, ENGLAND ARE NOW 58/4! Equation - 102 runs, 68 balls.

Short, outside off, Sam Curran knocks it to long on for one.

Full, on off, Tom Banton pushes it to point.

OUT! CAUGHT! Glenn Phillips is all pumped up. He joins the attack and gets a big wicket to dismiss the opposition skipper, Harry Brook. Phillips comes around the wicket and bowls fuller, outside off. Harry Brook strides out, bending his back foot to crouch to get underneath the delivery, but ends up mistiming the shot to long off, where Daryl Mitchell takes a calm and composed catch. The 48-run stand is broken and ENGLAND ARE 50/3, NEEDING ANOTHER 110 RUNS FROM 77 BALLS.

Full, outside off, Tom Banton pushes it to cover.

Short, on middle, Tom Banton pulls it to deep mid-wicket for one.

A touch fuller, on middle, Jacob Bethell flicks it to short fine for a single.

FOUR! SHOT! Flighted, on middle, pushed fuller. Tom Banton crouches down on one knee and sweeps it behind the deep square leg fielder. The ball goes beyond the boundary ropes on a bounce.

Fullish, around off, Tom Banton defends it to cover.

Short, around off, Harry Brook punches it to cover for one.

Fuller, around off, turning in, Jacob Bethell looks to defend but gets a slight inside edge and it raps him on his pad.

Short, on middle, Jacob Bethell tucks it to deep square leg for one.

Short of a length, around off, Harry Brook punches it to the right of the bowler, but Santner dives and stops it.

Tossed up, on off, Harry Brook defends it back to the bowler.

Pitches it up, does Santner, around middle, Harry Brook sweeps it to deep square leg for an easy single.

Short, on leg, Harry Brook works it to deep square leg with soft hands and gets the second run.

Just like the previous delivery, Cole McConchie delivers shorter one again, on the top of leg stump. Harry Brook camps back and flicks it softly to the right of the deep square leg fielder. Brace taken.

That is some fielding from Matt Henry! Much fuller, outside off, Harry Brook reverse sweeps it to the left of the short third fielder, Henry, who dives and makes a good stop. No runs from this delivery.

FOUR! Up and over! Cole McConchie drags his length back, outside off, Harry Brook rocks back and uses his bottom hand to loft it over the cover traffic for four runs.

Short, on leg, Harry Brook punches it to the left of mid off for one.

FOUR! More runs. Width on offer, outside off, short in length. Jacob Bethell goes deep into the crease and crunches a cut through cover-point for a boundary. 13 runs from the first over of Cole McConchie. 

Short, around off, Jacob Bethell pulls it to short mid-wicket.

Tossed up, around off, Jacob Bethell eases it to mid on and gets a quick single. Daryl Mitchell picks the ball and throws it to the bowler's end, but misses the direct hit. 

Tossed up, around the pads of the batter. Harry Brook misses his flick and gets thumped on his pad. The ball rolls to mid-wicket and the batter gets a leg bye.

Pitched up, on off, Jacob Bethell skips down the track and defends it back to the bowler.

Fuller, on leg, angling in. Jacob Bethell misses his sweep and takes a blow on right arm.

FOUR! Predetermined and effective! Flighted, on off, fuller in length, on off. Jacob Bethell sits down on one knee and reverse sweeps it through point for four runs.

FOUR! Punched down the ground! Back of a length, just outside off, angling away, Jacob Bethell stands tall and punches it against the pace of the ball. The ball zips toward the right of the mid on fielder and races away to the fence for four runs.

Hard-length delivery, outside off, Jacob Bethell slaps it to the right of the backward point fielder and gets across for a single.

Lockie Ferguson attempts a yorker, but spills a full toss, down the leg side. Harry Brook makes room and punches it straight to mid-wicket.

Huge appeal for LBW, but the impact is clearly outside off. This one is fuller, on the fourth stump. Harry Brook shuffles across and loses his balance while trying to ramp it. Brook misses the shot and wears it on his front pad. 

FOUR! Oh my goodness, that went like a tracer bullet. Good-length delivery, just outside off, Harry Brook stays on his back foot and drills it with all the power, through the line of the delivery. The ball zips past the fielder in the cover region and rolls away to the sweeper cover fence for four runs.

Yorker, down the leg side, Harry Brook digs it out.

WIDE. Down the leg side, Brook moves across and looks to scoop but misses.

On middle and off, solidly defended.

Back of a length, outside off, Brook gets across and tries to lap again. He loses his footing, misses the ball and gets hit on the chest as well.

High-class bowling. On a good length, around off, Harry looks to play this straight but the ball lands and then nips away after pitching, bouncing as well, to beat the outside edge.

NEARLY A RUN OUT NOW! Nervous times for England. On middle and leg, the skipper nudges this through mid-wicket and sets off for a single. But his partner is ball watching and has not moved a muscle. Brook has to scamper back and luckily for him, the fielder misses his shy at the striker's end. Direct hit would have been interesting.

FOUR! UP AND OVER! Brook connects at last. Short, outside off, the skipper backs away to the leg side and slaps this over point, getting his first boundary.

SIX! Brookball on display! Full and straight, Brook is initially backing away but then, suddenly, changes stance, gets down and across, and plays an audacious scoop. So audacious is the shot that he gets it over square leg and the ball hits the digital scoreboard at that end and breaks something! 11 from the over and England will hope that it ignites their flames.

On a good length, outside off, Jos Buttler pushes it towards point.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Buttler's rotten luck gets even worse. He was coming off single-digit scores in his last 4 innings and now, add a duck in the 5th as well. On a good length, outside off, pretty much similar to the previous one, but this has extreme pace. As a result, there is extra bounce as well and all Buttler is able to do, is follow the away movement, aiming to guide it to the off side. But he is unable to adjust to the bounce and gets a thick outside edge. The keeper, Tim Seifert, leaps to his right slightly and makes no mistake. ENGLAND ARE 2/2 and need another 158 RUNS FROM 112 BALLS!

On a length, down the leg side, Jacob Bethell misses his flick and gets hit on the pads. The ball deflects away to the leg side and the batters pinch a leg bye.

Outside off, on a length, Harry Brook steps out and tries to hammer this through the off side. But he does not get any room and gets a thick inside edge instead, which goes past the stumps towards short fine leg! A single taken.

Around off, Bethell pushes it towards point.

INSIDE EDGE, FOUR! Since when did R.Premadasa become Headingley? On a length, around middle, Jacob Bethell looks to defend but the ball swings back in a mile, cramps the batter for room, takes the inside edge and luckily for Bethell, goes over the stumps, to the fine leg fence! A wicket and 6 runs from an extremely rapid Ferguson over.

On a length, outside off, nipping back in sharply. Phil Salt plays all around it, as he looks to flick and misses, getting hit on the pads. There are mutiple appeals for LBW but none is given. Going down the leg side.

Wow. This one moves the other way! On a length, outside off, Salt stays back to play, assuming it will come in. But the ball lands and then shapes away, squaring him up. Takes the leading edge and goes behind point. A couple taken.

On a length, outside off, moving away sharply, Phil has a massive hoick, only to miss.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Just as they found Mitchell Starc too hot to handle in the Ashes with the new ball, England are facing problems against Matt Henry as well. He will be on a plane in roughly four hours from now, as he seeks a paternity leave back home after this match. On a length, around off, Phil Salt looks to hit it on the up over mid off or cover but the ball lands and then shapes away a touch. This time, the outside edge is taken and the ball goes straight to the keeper behind and Tim Seifert makes no mistake. Salt departs cheaply and ENGLAND ARE 2/1! Equation - 158 runs, 116 balls.

On middle and off, Harry Brook pushes this towards mid on.

Whoa! A terrific delivery to end a sensational opening over. Brook jumps out but Henry follows him, bowling this on back of a length, outside off. Brook looks to go inside out but misses and the ball goes over the stumps!