England beat New Zealand by 65 runs in the 2nd T20I: England displayed their impressive all-round skills to secure a comfortable 65-run victory against New Zealand. The victory was made possible by explosive batting from Phil Salt (85) and Harry Brook (78) and a superb bowling performance from veteran spinner Adil Rashid (4 wickets). With this win, England took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
England’s innings: Brook and Salt piled up runs (236/4)
Losing the toss and opting to bat first, England put immense pressure on the New Zealand bowlers from the start. However, captain Jos Buttler (4) was dismissed cheaply. Openers Philip Salt (85) and Jacob Bethell (24) then formed a strong partnership to steady the innings. Bethell scored a quickfire 24 off just 12 balls.
Philip Salt then continued his explosive form, and Harry Brooke (78) came in at the other end to give the innings a further boost. Brooke scored a brilliant 78 off just 35 balls, including 6 fours and 5 sixes. Salt was dismissed for 85. In the end, Tom Banton (29*) scored 29 off 12 balls and Sam Curran scored 8 off 3 balls to take the innings to a mammoth score of 236/4. Jamieson took 2 wickets for New Zealand.
England’s batting performance (from scorecard)
| Player | Runs (R) | Balls (B) | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate (SR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phil Salt | 85 | 56 | 11 | 1 | 151.79 |
| Jacob Bethell | 24 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 200.00 |
| Harry Brooke | 78 | 35 | 6 | 5 | 222.86 |
| Tom Banton (not out) | 29 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 241.67 |
New Zealand’s innings:
Chasing a massive target, the hosts had a disastrous start, losing two wickets for just 18 runs. Tim Seifert (39) and Mark Chapman (28) then raised hopes of a comeback with a 69-run partnership for the third wicket, but the Kiwi innings collapsed like a pack of cards once this partnership was broken.
For New Zealand, Tim Seifert top-scored with 39 runs off 29 balls, while Mitchell Santner tried to reduce the margin of defeat with a quickfire 36 off 15 balls.
New Zealand were all out for 171 runs in 18 overs.
England’s bowling was excellent. Experienced leg-spinner Adil Rashid took four crucial wickets for just 32 runs in four overs. Luke Wood (2/36), Brydon Carse (2/27), and Liam Dawson (2/38) also took two wickets each, making it difficult for New Zealand to overcome.
England bowlers’ performance (from scorecard)
| Bowlers | Overs (O) | Runs (R) | Wickets (W) | Economy (ECO) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adil Rashid | 4 | 32 | 4 | 8.00 |
| Luke Wood | 4 | 36 | 2 | 9.00 |
| Brydon Carse | 3 | 27 | 2 | 9.00 |
| Liam Dawson | 4 | 38 | 2 | 9.50 |
Also Read: WATCH: Batter Collapses After Being Hit by Dangerous Throw During Run
Harry Brooke named ‘Player of the Match’
For his explosive innings of 78 runs, Harry Brooke was named ‘Player of the Match’. He expressed satisfaction with his contribution to the team’s victory, particularly with Phil Salt. He emphasized the importance of maintaining calm and composure, playing efficiently on the field, and maintaining pressure on the opposition.
England won the match by a comprehensive margin of 65 runs and took a 1-0 lead in the series. The final match of the series will be played on October 23.
Also Read: Top 5 Batsmen with the Most ODI Runs in India vs Australia History
