AI Simulation, NZ vs ENG | Harry Brook’s captaincy knock guides England to beat New Zealand by five wickets in first T20I

Pitch and Weather

It is expected to be a true Hagley Oval surface, good bounce and carry for seamers early, but flattens out under lights.

There will be a cool breeze on Saturday in Christchurch, with clear weather and a temperature hovering around 16 degrees Celsius. There will be no rain threat throughout the entire game.

Toss

England won the toss and decided to bowl first.

Lineups

New Zealand XI: Tim Robinson, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert (WK), Bevon Jacobs, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (C), James Neesham, Jacob Duffy, Kyle Jamieson.

England XI: Jos Buttler (WK), Phil Salt, Harry Brook (C), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Brydon Carse, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Luke Wood, Adil Rashid, Sony Baker.

Match Report

England won the toss and asked New Zealand to bat first. The hosts faced a first blow at the early score of 12 runs in 2.5 overs, losing Tim Robinson (7) off Luke Wood. Then came a crucial 49-run partnership for the second wicket between Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra. Brydon Carse broke this partnership by dismissing Rachin Ravindra (29) on the fourth ball of the eighth over, getting him caught behind the wickets by Jos Buttler. Furthermore, Conway added another partnership of 34 runs for the third wicket with wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert (33). Conway’s 42-run knock ended in the 12th over, when he was trapped in Adil Rashid’s spin web. Following these contributions, Daryl Mitchell’s late burst of 24 runs off just 12 balls helped the Blackcaps post 172/7 in the allotted 20 overs. Adil Rashid scalped two wickets for 28 runs in his four overs for England, alongside two wickets each picked by Brydon Carse and Luke Wood.

While chasing the target, England's opening pair of Jos Buttler and Phil Salt made a fiery start, scoring 47 runs in just 4.5 overs. Kyle Jamieson dismissed Salt on the fifth ball of the fifth over, getting him caught behind the wickets by Tim Seifert. Salt scored 31 runs off just 18 balls, with four fours and two sixes. Following the brilliant opening partnership, Buttler and Harry Brook added 49 runs for the second wicket before the former was bowled out by Mitchell Santner, at the individual score of 58 runs off 41 balls, with seven fours and a six. Furthermore, Brook went on to play a match-winning and unbeaten knock of 46 runs off just 27 balls, with five fours and two sixes take England home, scoring 175/5 in 19.2 overs. Kiwi skipper Mitchell Santner scalped two wickets for 30 runs in his four-over quota, alongside a wicket each picked by Kyle Jamieson and Jacob Duffy. With this win, England have also secured the lead of 1-0, in the three-match T20I series against the Blackcaps.

Player of the Match

England batter Harry Brook was adjudged the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his unbeaten and blistering knock of 46 runs off just 27 balls, with five fours and two sixes. Besides that, his partnerships with Jos Buttler and other middle-order batters also played a vital role in England’s five-wicket win over New Zealand.

Scorecard