By Brian Thomas
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What a game in Abu Dhabi today, on a two, paced sluggish pitch the black caps, swung their willow against the might of the English by 5 wickets with an over to spare.
England was put in to bat as Kane Williamson called tails at the toss.
Jhonny Bairstow opened the innings with Jos Buttler, sin Jayson Roy had to sit out with a calf injury.
Bairstow struggled with his timing, on a pitch that was holding it, due to wear and tear. Bairstow ultimately gave in to an Adam Milin back of a length delivery, to be caught by Kane Williamson at mid-off for 13.
Jos Buttler, a class act in the white-ball format, and the second-highest scorer in this years T 20 World Cup so far was the prize scalp from a New Zealand perspective. Sadly he went for a reverse sweep off Ish Sodhi and was plum in front, out for 29.
Dawid Malan and Moheen Ali then stitched a partnership and looked very comfortable out in the middle. It was great cricket to watch carve three boundaries wide of mid-off to the bowling of Ish Sodhi in his well-compiled stroke-filled 41. After dispatching Tim Southee to the mid-wicket fence for a boundary, he fell victim in the very next Ball, giving Keeper Conway a catch, and was sent back to the dugout for 41, with England ready for the kill on 116 for 3 in the 16th over.
Moeen Ali was in great form today. He scored a fine 51 not out with Liam Livingstone, joining him for a well made 17.
The English scored 166 for 4 wickets, and it looked a defendable total when the kiwis lost big-hitting Guptil for 4 off Woakes and stroke maker Williamson for 5 off Woakes yet again and the Kiwis looked choked with the score of 13 for 2 wickets.
Runs were difficult to come by. England made headway with excellent fielding competing for their skill levels to that of the black caps, the best fielding side in international cricket, in all three formats.
Conway batting on 46, was expected to bat the 20 overs, but a rush of blood and fatigue, made him dance down the pitch to a Livingstone off-break and was stumped by Buttler with Kiwis huffing and puffing on 95 in 14.1 overs.
Glenn Philips was soon sent back by Livingstone who had him caught by Sam Billings in the deep for 2, hence the Blackcaps looked down the barrel with the score of 103 for 4 Wickets in the 14th over.
Cometh the hour cometh the man, Jimmy Neesham. He chartered Chris Jordan for 22 runs in the 17th over, and the pendulum suddenly swung in the direction of the Kiwis.
England rejoiced when Adil Rashid had him caught at short extra cover by his skipper Eoin Morgan for 27, but he laid the foundation for the final onslaught.
Darryl Mitchel with his parents and teammates cheering him on, came up with an innings of his life.
The right-hander who opened the batting smashed 4 huge sixes in a span of 9 deliveries to remain unbeaten on 72 and got the job done for his team, and will be on show ones again in Dubai come Sunday for the finals.
Good an unexpected win by New Zealand with an over to spare. Well played England, we will miss you in the finals, because, the English are super in this format.
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