Stunning finish launches Kiwis into final

A STUNNING finish saw New Zealand beat England by five wickets and reach Sunday’s final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup earlier yesterday.

Daryl Mitchell, who smashed 72 runs from 47 deliveries, was the hero as New Zealand chased down 167 in Abu Dhabi to seal a spot in the World Cup final against either Pakistan or Australia, who will play in the other semi-final today, beginning at 9 a.m. Jamaica time.

Mitchell, the Black Caps’ opener, carried his bat throughout the innings, producing a brilliant late display of power hitting as New Zealand raced through the gears to avoid a nervy finish.

Chris Woakes’ two early wickets in the Powerplay had restricted the Kiwi chase. But a steadying knock from Devon Conway (46 off 38 balls) and a quickfire 27 from James Neesham put New Zealand on top, with Chris Jordan’s 16th over going for 23 runs to swing the match in New Zealand’s favour. And it was Mitchell who finished the job, hitting 25 off his last seven deliveries to win it with an over to spare.

Earlier, Ali (51 not out off 37 balls) and Dawid Malan (41 off 30 balls) helped England reach 166 for four in an occasionally scratchy first innings.

Scoring was slow and steady for much of England’s effort with the bat, with openers Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler steady but unspectacular through the Powerplay, before Malan and Ali’s partnership rebuilt the innings.

Some big hits late on from Livingstone and Ali, who finished on 51 not out, helped England to 166 for four.

But England needed a big effort from their bowling attack to tie New Zealand down in the reply and they were unable to do so, missing out on a third straight place in a World Cup final.

Woakes continued his outstanding record in the Powerplay throughout the World Cup when he gave England a big double breakthrough, as they looked to defend 166 for four.

The England seamer had been whacked for four by Guptill off the first ball of the chase, but had his revenge two deliveries later as the Black Caps danger man miscued the easiest of catches to Ali, giving England the breakthrough they desperately wanted.

Kiwi captain Williamson fell in Woakes’ next over, looking to get going after a slow start and mishitting a ramp shot straight to Adil Rashid, to leave New Zealand two down early.

MIDDLE-OVER TENSION

A tight remainder of the Powerplay saw New Zealand reach 36 for two after six overs, with the Black Caps failing to score a run off the bat for 12 consecutive deliveries at one stage.

Devon Conway and Mitchell led the rebuild in search of 167 for a place in Sunday’s final, but Conway’s outstanding 46 off 38 came to an abrupt end when he was stumped off Livingstone.

England’s all-rounder bowled his full set of four overs as Eoin Morgan targeted specific match-ups, and Livingstone revelled in the responsibility, also removing the dangerous Glenn Phillips to finish with strong figures of two for 22.

New Zealand had needed 109 off the last 10 overs and with the required rate steadily climbing, it was clear that they needed a big finish. And that is exactly what they got, with Neesham launching 27 off just 11 deliveries to turn the game back in New Zealand’s favour.

Nineteen of Neesham’s runs came off Jordan’s pivotal 16th over, which went for 23 runs in total, just as a tense finish looked likely. And Mitchell, who had anchored the innings for long periods, joined the party by going big himself to race to his half-century and finish on an unbeaten 72 from 47.

England had their chances, with Bairstow almost pulling off a magical piece of fielding on the boundary. But, unlike at Lord’s three years ago, the momentum was with New Zealand and Mitchell banged three maximums – one off Rashid and two off Woakes – before finishing the job with a four through backward square.

Courtesy of ICCt20worldcup.com.