England, led by Harry Brook, will look to seal their place in the semifinals from Group 2 during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. They will face New Zealand in their Super 8 match at the iconic R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday, February 27.
The Three Lions received a major boost to their net run rate after a dominant win over Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, New Zealand were left in a tricky position after their Super 8 opener against Pakistan was abandoned due to rain. The Black Caps must win to keep their semifinal hopes alive.
This article covers ENG vs NZ Match 49, including the match preview, live streaming details, pitch and weather conditions, head-to-head statistics, and key players.
ENG vs NZ Match 49 Preview
Date and Venue:
The R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo will host the Super 8 Group 2 encounter between England and New Zealand on Friday, February 27.
Squads:
England: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler (w), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Ben Duckett, Luke Wood, Josh Tongue, Rehan Ahmed.
New Zealand: Tim Seifert (w), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell (c), Cole McConchie, James Neesham, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Ish Sodhi, Devon Conway, Mitchell Santner, Lockie Ferguson.
ENG vs NZ Probable XIs
England Playing XI: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler (w), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid.
New Zealand Playing XI: Tim Seifert (w), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), James Neesham, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson.
ENG vs NZ Key Battles
Philip Salt vs Matt Henry
Philip Salt has been providing explosive starts for England and will look to dominate the powerplay in Colombo. Matt Henry will aim to find early movement to disrupt Salt’s rhythm. An early breakthrough could put the English top order under pressure.
Harry Brook vs Mitchell Santner
England skipper Harry Brook will face a tough challenge against the experienced spin of Mitchell Santner in the middle overs. Brook has been technically solid, but Santner’s ability to extract turn from the Colombo surface could make this an interesting contest.
Glenn Phillips vs Adil Rashid
Glenn Phillips has been a dependable middle-order batter for New Zealand and faces a stern test against Adil Rashid. Rashid’s control and variations with leg-spin will be key to restricting New Zealand’s scoring during the middle phase of the innings.
Tim Seifert vs Jofra Archer
Tim Seifert is a powerful hitter who provides quick starts for New Zealand during the powerplay. Jofra Archer’s pace and accuracy have been vital for England, helping create early breakthroughs and control the scoring rate.
ENG vs NZ Key Players:
England: Philip Salt, Harry Brook, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Sam Curran.
New Zealand: Tim Seifert, Mitchell Santner, Glenn Phillips, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson.
ENG vs NZ Free Live Streaming in India, Live Telecast
TV Rights in India: The ENG vs NZ clash will be telecast live on the Star Sports Network, the official broadcaster of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Live Streaming Platform in India: Fans can stream the match live on the JioHotstar app and website with an active subscription.
When will the match take place? The Super 8 Group 2 encounter will be played on Friday, February 27, 2026.
Where will the match be played? The contest is scheduled to take place at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.
How to watch the live telecast of the ENG vs NZ match on television? Viewers can watch the match live by tuning in to the Star Sports channels.
ENG vs NZ Weather Report of Colombo
The weather in Colombo on February 27 is expected to be clear and warm, with temperatures around 28°C during the match. While the forecast is mostly stable with typical humidity, heavy dew is expected during the second innings.
ENG vs NZ Pitch Report of Colombo
The pitch at the R. Premadasa Stadium traditionally assists spinners, with the ball gripping the surface as the game progresses. The average first-innings score in T20Is at the venue is 155, while the second-innings average drops to 139.
ENG vs NZ Head-to-Head Records
| Stats | Matches | ENG Won | NZ Won | Tied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 30 | 16 | 10 | 1 |
| In T20 World Cups | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| In Sri Lanka | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
ENG vs NZ Head-to-Head Records: Key Statistics
England and New Zealand have played 30 T20 Internationals against each other so far. The Three Lions have secured 16 wins, while New Zealand have managed 10 victories. Three matches have ended in a no-result, and one has been tied. England also have a 4–3 record against the Black Caps in T20 World Cups.
ENG vs NZ Head-to-Head Records: Last Five Matches
In the last five T20Is played between 2023 and 2025, England have won one match, New Zealand have won two, while two matches ended in a no-result. The most recent encounter took place on October 23, 2025, in Auckland, which was washed out.
ENG vs NZ Head-to-Head Records – Results of the Last Five Games
-
No result in Auckland on October 23, 2025
-
England won by 65 runs in Christchurch on October 20, 2025
-
No result in Christchurch on October 18, 2025
-
New Zealand won by 6 wickets in Nottingham on September 5, 2023
-
New Zealand won by 74 runs in Birmingham on September 3, 2023
ENG vs NZ – Conclusion:
England will trust their strong batting lineup to adapt to the spin-friendly pitch in Colombo. New Zealand, on the other hand, can challenge the Harry Brook-led team. Mitchell Santner could play a key role with the ball, but New Zealand’s chances will largely depend on their top order.
Also read: MS Dhoni drops bomb on CSK days before IPL 2026!! Sanju Samson celebrates quietly
