And, so the knockout stages of the ICC World T20 are finally upon us. No more mishaps are allowed for even the slightest of miscalculations can become irreversible. This is the time when players who have the ability to remain undeterred in the face of pressure stand out from the rest.
Gunning for a spot in the final will be England and New Zealand who have come from afar and withstood the vicious turners in the subcontinent. Both have had contrasting routes to the semi-finals which makes it even more fascinating.
While New Zealand began their tournament with an bang by beating hosts India in their own game (read spin), England’s introduction to the competition was a rather tempestuous one with Chris Gayle knocking the wind out of them.
When South Africa posted 229, the English were gone for all money. However, Eoin Morgan’s side showed plenty of character to chase the humongous total which turned their campaign around. On the other hand, the Kiwis waltzed through the remaining matches to remain the only unbeaten team so far.
England vs New Zealand Today’s Match LIVE Streaming Details
TV Channel: Star Sports 1, HD1 (English) and 3, HD3 (Hindi)
Online Stream: www.starsports.com, Hotstar App
Date: 30 March 2016, Wednesday
Time: 19:00 IST, 13:30 GMT
Venue: Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi
Team News
England Team
After recovering from fitness issues, Alex Hales replaced James Vince in their last group match against Sri Lanka. Despite his lean run with the bat, the team management should stick with him due to his experience.
The rest of the batting lineup picks itself and key man Jos Buttler is expected to come in depending upon the situation. The bowling attack looks fairly balanced with Liam Plunkett adding an extra yard of pace to the combination.
New Zealand Team
Martin Guptill was rested for the contest against Bangladesh as a precautionary measure. Though the 29-year old’s hamstring is keeping the coaching staff on its toes, he is likely to slot back into his place at the top of the order.
Tim Southee and Trent Boult could once again find themselves out of the eleven given the nature of the Kotla surface. Kane Williamson might be tempted to field a spin troika which would mean that Adam Milne’s place is uncertain.
Teams (Predicted XI)
England Squad
Jason Roy, Alex Hales, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (C), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (WK), Moeen Ali, David Willey, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Liam Plunkett
New Zealand Squad
Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson (C), Colin Munro, Corey Anderson, Ross Taylor, Grant Elliot, Luke Ronchi (WK), Mitchell Santner, Nathan McCullum, Ish Sodhi, Mitchell McClenaghan
Recent Form
England: W-W-W-L-L
New Zealand: W-W-W-W-W
Key Stats: ENG vs NZ
- New Zealand have won all the tosses in the 2016 World T20, so far and have opted to bat first each time.
- England enjoy a 8-4 Win-Loss record against New Zealand in T20Is.
- Nathan McCullum is the leading wicket-taker for the Kiwis in T20Is with 58 scalps.
- Alex Hales remains the only England batsman to score a T20I century.
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