Colombo, February 27 – After winning his fourth Player of the Match (POTM) award in the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, Will Jacks credited his 32 off 18 deliveries innings as the key to England's victory over New Zealand by four wickets with three balls to spare in their Group 2 Super 8 clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium.
Jacks' composed 32 off 18 deliveries, combined with Rehan Ahmed's unbeaten 19 off just seven balls, helped England chase down 160 in a contest that swung wildly until the final over.
Reflecting on the award, Jacks said: "I think this is my best performance. I'm really thrilled with it, especially given how close the finish was. When I went out there, the game was very tight, so I'm really happy."
Chasing 160, England were initially rocked by Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson, who dismissed two batsmen within the first eight balls. Phil Salt and Jos Buttler fell with just two runs on the board, giving New Zealand early control.
Captain Harry Brook responded with composure, stitching an unbeaten 45-run stand with Jacob Bethell by the end of the powerplay to steady the chase. However, Phillips turned the tide again, dismissing Brook for 26 with his first ball of the match and then producing a stunning diving catch to remove Bethell (21), leaving England in trouble.
Jacks admitted that clear thinking was crucial in the tense finish. "It's about keeping things simple. Rehan Ahmed played a brilliant innings, and everyone who went out there took time to adjust to how slow the pitch was. That six off Glenn Phillips really shifted momentum and put them under pressure. From there, I just tried to play off that and stick to the plan."
He revealed that the pair had targeted a specific phase. "We spoke about taking a calculated risk in that 15th over and identified it as our opportunity. For the other overs, it was about hitting into the gaps and running hard. It's a big ground and a slow surface, so you're not always clearing the ropes. The twos we picked up were really important."
Earlier, New Zealand had posted 159/7 after being asked to bat. Despite a steady opening partnership of Finn Allen and Tim Seifert and a counterattack by Glenn Philips, New Zealand's innings ultimately fell short.
With 43 needed off 18 balls, the game hung in the balance. Phillips conceded 22 in an over under pressure, and Mitchell Santner was struck for 16 in the penultimate over, including a boundary first ball and a maximum off the last by Ahmed.
Henry, entrusted with the final over, could not prevent England from completing the chase.
"It's been a great night personally, but finishing the game like that is what you want as a player," Jacks said. On England's form surge, he added: "Yeah, I feel really confident and calm in the middle right now. That calmness probably helps more than anything. As a team, we're heading in the right direction – three wins in the Super 8 against strong sides, so we're very happy going into the semi-finals."
