The match, however, earned comparisons to the 2019 50-over World Cup final between the two even before the match started. Jonny Bairstow’s attempted catch that turned into a six turned out to be a defining moment in New Zealand’s run chase. This was quite similar to Trent Boult’s failed try that was crucial for England in 2019.
In the 17th over, being bowled by Chris Jordan, Jimmy Neesham hit a slower ball high to the left of long-on. Jonny Bairstow ran in and managed to hold on to it. However, he was falling and could not throw it to Liam Livingstone to complete a relay catch in time. His knee brushed the boundary ropes just before he got rid of the ball.
Watch the moment here:
It was a crucial moment in the T20 World Cup semi-final. It was the second six off that over as New Zealand took 23 runs off Chris Jordan. They then went on to win the match from an improbable situation.
In the 2019 final, Ben Stokes hit it long and high off Jimmy Neesham in the penultimate over and Boult caught it running backwards. However, momentum carried him onto the boundary ropes and Stokes was given a reprieve and England got six valuable runs.
England, of course, went on to tie the match and take it to a Super Over, eventually winning the World Cup by the boundary count. But there was to be no Super Over on Wednesday. New Zealand won with an over to spare and reached the final of the T20 World Cup.
T20 World Cup 2021: New Zealand beat England with death overs brilliance
With Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson back in the hut early chasing 167, New Zealand looked like they were in trouble. England’s bowlers then kept it tight to put them in the driving seat.
Devon Conway played a fine knock of 46 off 38 deliveries, but New Zealand still needed 72 off 38 when he departed.
Things went from bad to worse for the Kiwis as Glenn Phillips fell at the start of the 16th over. Then Neesham and Daryl Mitchell, who had been trudging along and losing partners at the other end for the whole innings, turned on the style.
Needing 57 off the final four overs, Neesham took charge, scoring 19 off the Chris Jordan over. Two wides and two leg-byes meant there were 23 to come off the over.
Neesham fell at the end of the next over, bowled by Adil Rashid, but not before hitting another six and finishing with 27 off 11.
It was the knock that changed the game, before Mitchell finished it off.
The opener got in the groove, hitting Rashid for a six before Neesham’s dismissal. He then went on to hit two more maximums and a boundary off the next over, bowled by Chris Woakes. This innings took New Zealand into the 2021 T20 World Cup final.
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