{"id":230729,"date":"2026-02-27T19:53:59","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T19:53:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/27\/jacks-and-ahmed-find-dramatic-late-blitz-to-earn-england-unlikely-win-over-new-zealand\/"},"modified":"2026-02-27T19:53:59","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T19:53:59","slug":"jacks-and-ahmed-find-dramatic-late-blitz-to-earn-england-unlikely-win-over-new-zealand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/27\/jacks-and-ahmed-find-dramatic-late-blitz-to-earn-england-unlikely-win-over-new-zealand\/","title":{"rendered":"Jacks and Ahmed find dramatic late blitz to earn England unlikely win over New Zealand"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A game played on a turning wicket and dominated by spin was decided, appropriately, after a decisive, savage twist. Just as it looked as if England\u2019s unconvincing progress through the World Cup was the one thing destined to remain on its predictable path Rehan Ahmed and Will Jacks spun the game, and the group, in their team\u2019s favour.<\/p>\n
England\u2019s pursuit of a target of 160 was appearing increasingly forlorn until its 18th over, bowled by Glenn Phillips, which started with them needing an improbable 43 off 18 and ended, two sixes and a couple of fours later, with a manageable 21 required off 12. Ahmed started the next with another boundary to keep the momentum going and before the penultimate delivery the batters conferred. \u201cI said: \u2018I\u2019ll get a single and you just have a free hit,\u2019\u201d Jacks said; he got his single and Ahmed deposited the final delivery into the stands. \u201cThat six pretty much won us the game,\u201d said Jacks.<\/p>\n
England were left needing five off the last over. It took them three balls to wrap up victory by four wickets.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
So England added another to their collection of narrow wins and the question now is whether accumulating so many of them is down to luck or quality. \u201cIt\u2019s probably the latter,\u201d said Mitchell Santner, the New Zealand captain. \u201cIf you can get yourself out of tricky positions and end up winning games it does wonders for your confidence. There\u2019s no better team than one that fights and finds a way of winning. There\u2019s several guys stepping up at different times as well, which is what you need. I wouldn\u2019t want to be facing them in the semi-finals.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Ahmed it was a stunning introduction to the tournament. Picked ahead of Jamie Overton because of his ability to bowl spin and, with bat in hand, to punish it, he took two wickets in three overs, and scored 19 off seven balls. Meanwhile, Jacks was England\u2019s match-winner once again, also taking two wickets \u2013 and conceding only 23 runs from four overs \u2013 before hitting 32 off 18 balls.<\/p>\n
England have played seven games at this tournament and this was Jacks\u2019 fourth player-of-the-match award. That he keeps having to produce match-winning contributions from No 7 is a source of concern, but the fact that he is actually producing them is a source of encouragement. \u201cIdeally I would do nothing,\u201d Jacks said. \u201cI\u2019m kind of the extra bowler and the extra batter. If I don\u2019t bowl and don\u2019t bat, we\u2019ll have had that perfect game that we keep speaking about.\u201d<\/p>\n