Sports
Stunning run chase sends Kiwis into first T-20 World Cup finals
Rex Clementine in Abu Dhabi
A stunning run chasse in Abu Dhabi last night saw New Zealand snatching victory from the jaws of defeat thanks to some terrific big hitting by Darryl Mitchell and James Neesham. Chasing a stiff 167 to win, New Zealand were reduced to 107 for four needing 60 runs in 29 balls when Neesham walked into the crease. No team had chased that many to win a T-20 International in Abu Dhabi and the odds were against the Kiwis.
The 17th over bowled by Chris Jordan brought New Zealand back into the game as 21 runs were scored in an eight ball over with Neesham clearing two sixes and a four.
That reduced New Zealand’s target to 34 in 18 balls and in the next over Mitchell smashed a six off Adil Rashid to complete a superb half-century and they now required 21 in 14 balls. You would have expected them to milk the bowling but Neesham was dismissed in Rashid’s last delivery of the game and there seemed to be another twist in the tale.
Irish born England skipper Eoin Morgan first wanted to bring Jordan for the penultimate over but in the last minute had change of plans and trusted Chris Woakes, who had been England’s best bowler until then having bowled a wicket maiden early on in the innings, something very rare in modern day T-20 cricket.
With New Zealand needing 20 runs off the last over, Mitchell smashed two sixes off Woakes and then hit a four off the last ball of the over to complete a terrific run chase.
Mitchell’s unbeaten 72 contained four fours and four sixes and came off 47 deliveries. Neesham had hit 27 off 11 balls with one four and three monstrous sixes. Wicketkeeper Deveon Conway had steadied the ship scoring 46 runs off 38 balls with five fours and one six.
Earlier, after being put in, England posted 166 for four with Moeen Ali top scoring with an unbeaten 51 in 37 balls with three fours and two sixes. Dawid Malan had chipped in with 41 runs.
Australia will meet Pakistan in the second semi-final tonight in Dubai.
Pakistan are the only unbeaten team in the competition and they are favourites over Australia to win the game.
The finals will take place on Sunday in Dubai.
Mikel Merino scored in the 88th minute from a rebound yielded by backup Belgium goalkeeper Senne Lammens, and Spain advanced to the World Cup semifinals with a 2-1 victory.
Merino was the late hero for the second straight match for Spain, who advanced to face tournament favourite France in the semifinals on Tuesday in Dallas.
Merino came on in the 86th minute and scored from his second touch of the match, charging into the box and pouncing after Lammens spilled a Pau Cubarsi shot from outside the area.
The Arsenal forward also scored as a substitute early in injury time to secure Spain’s 1-0 victory over Portugal in the last-16.
Lammens, the Manchester United keeper, was forced into the match in the 71st minute after longtime Belgium keeper Thibaut Courtois left with an apparent thigh injury.
Belgium desperately pressed for an equaliser in the final minutes, but Aymeric Laporte volleyed their best chance out of the box.
Fabian Ruiz scored the opening goal in the 30th minute for Spain after Courtois had parried a shot from Dani Olmo from Pedro Porro’s cut-back from the right of the area, but Belgium forward Charles De Ketelaere scored the first goal allowed by Spain in the entire World Cup in the 41st minute.
His header from Timothy Castagne’s cross from the right ended a record streak of 649 minutes without conceding at the World Cup.
The annual rugby encounter between Dharmaraja College and Kingswood College, played for the William Weerasinghe Memorial Trophy, is set to take place today (July 11, 2026), at 4:00 PM at the Bogambara Stadium, Kandy.
The official unveiling of the trophy took place this week at the Dharmaraja College premises with the participation of the Principals of the two schools, teachers-in-charge of sports, coaches, the Rugby teams, and several distinguished guests, including Dharmaraja College Old Boys’ Association President Mahesh Wijetunga, Kingswood College Old Boys’ Association President Muditha Abeykoon,
Text and Pic by SK Samaranayake
The annual rugby encounter between Dharmaraja College and Kingswood College, played for the William Weerasinghe Memorial Trophy, is set to take place tomorrow (July 11, 2026), at 4:00 PM at the Bogambara Stadium, Kandy.
The official unveiling of the trophy took place this week at the Dharmaraja College premises with the participation of the Principals of the two schools, teachers-in-charge of sports, coaches, the Rugby teams, and several distinguished guests, including Dharmaraja College Old Boys’ Association President Mahesh Wijetunga, Kingswood College Old Boys’ Association President Muditha Abeykoon,
by S K SAMARANAYAKE
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