Abu Dhabi: All-rounder Moeen Ali top-scored with an unbeaten 37-ball 51 to propel England to 166 for four against New Zealand in the first semifinal of the ICC T20 World Cup here Wednesday.
Sent into bat, Moeen and Dawid Malan (42 off 30 balls) were England’s main contributors with the willow in the rematch of the epic 2019 ODI World Cup final.
Moeen smashed three fours and two sixes, while Malan struck four boundaries and a maximum.
After three relatively quiet overs, opener Jos Buttler (29) smashed Trent Boult for two successive boundaries — one straight down the ground and then the batter reached out to a wide delivery to play it through the covers.
Boult then pitched one too short and the ball flew past Buttler as well as wicketkeeper Devon Conway for another boundary and an extra run in the form of a wide.
Promoted to the top of the order in the absence of injured Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow (13) played his first attacking shot straight over the bowler’s head for a boundary, as England reached 37 for no loss in five overs.
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson effected a bowling change and the move immediately paid dividends as the skipper himself pulled off a fine diving catch at mid-off off Adam Milne’s first delivery to signal the end of Bairstow’s stay in the middle.
That Milne over not just gave the Kiwis their first breakthrough, but it also stemmed the flow of runs, as England finished the power play at 40 for one.
Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi started his spell by giving away five runs before Buttler, not one to let the Kiwis take control of the proceedings, employed the reverse sweep to get a boundary against left-arm Mitchell Santner.
New Zealand soon had a lot to cheer about as Sodhi got the huge wicket of Buttler, who went for the reverse sweep again, but did not succeed on that occasion as the ball hit him on the pads. Dawid Malan ended the over on a good note, going inside-out to get himself a four.
James Neesham induced an edge off Malan’s blade, but Conway could not get to the ball, and three balls later, the batter drove the medium pacer for a boundary.
England had a productive 11th over as they scored 11 runs, thanks to two fours by Malan off Glenn Phillips.
Southee got the big wicket of an ominous-looking Malan just as he was about to cut loose.
After Malan’s dismissal, the onus was on Moeen to propel England and the all-rounder did his job that was asked of him with his lusty hits.
Liam Livingstone chipped in with 17 off 10 balls.
PTI
