England will lock horns with New Zealand in Match 49 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eight stage on February 27 at the R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.

England have already confirmed their place in the semifinals after securing two important wins in the Super Eight round. They first registered a comfortable victory over Sri Lanka and then held their nerve in a tense chase against Pakistan. Captain Harry Brook played a match-winning knock in that thriller, guiding his side home under pressure. New Zealand, on the other hand, had a torrid start but bounced back strongly once their opening game against Pakistan was abandoned. The Black Caps responded with a commanding victory over Sri Lanka in Colombo to boost their net run rate and their hopes of qualification. However, a defeat here could open the door slightly for Pakistan in the qualification race.

ENG vs NZ: Weather Report

The weather in Colombo is expected to be mostly clear in the evening, with the temperature around 27°C. Humidity may rise to 94%, which could make it uncomfortable for players. Winds are likely to blow at about 8 km/h. There is a 25% chance of rain, but a full match is still expected if rain stays away.

ENG vs NZ: R Premadasa Stadium Stats (T20Is)

• Matches played: 54
• Average first-innings score: 152
• Average second-innings score: 132
• Teams winning batting first: 48%
• Teams winning bowling first: 50%
• Highest total: 215/5 (BAN vs SL)
• Lowest total: 80/10 (AFG vs ENG)
• Highest chase: 215/5 (BAN vs SL)
• Lowest total defended: 115/6 (SL vs SA)

See Also: NZ-W vs ZIM-W, 2nd T20I: Head-to-head, pitch report and predicted playing XIs

ENG vs NZ: Predicted Playing XIs

England (ENG):

Philip Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid

New Zealand (NZ):

Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), Cole McConchie, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson