England Go Unbeaten

Defending champions New Zealand were knocked out of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 as England triumphed by nine wickets at the Oval.

The hosts were set a joint-record World Cup chase of 164 to win after Sophie Devine hit 30 off just 14 balls.

Danni Wyatt-Hodge made easy work of the chase with 89 not out as England head into the semi-finals top of Group B and unbeaten from their five games, while the West Indies’ place in the last four was confirmed.

Defeat for New Zealand also meant that, in front of a record group-stage crowd of 21,018 at the Oval, the glittering international careers of Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu came to an end.

DEVINE DEVASTATION RESCUES WHITE FERNS

With the West Indies’ loss to Ireland earlier in the day, New Zealand had the chance to progress with a victory.

Their innings began by picking when to accelerate and when to be patient as England alternated economic and expensive overs.

The White Ferns ended the powerplay at 44 without loss as Amelia Kerr led the scoring, but Sophie Ecclestone again turned the screw, conceding just three runs off her first over.

The game ebbed and flowed until it thundered into England’s favour with three wickets in four balls, all without conceding a run.

Gaze was the first to get out, caught by Alice Capsey on the boundary for 28, and Kerr went the very next ball, furious with herself as she attempted to ramp Danielle Gibson for the second time but was bowled for 42.

Gibson (2/30) got her second of the over two balls later as she dismissed Izzy Sharp for a duck, to leave New Zealand 70 for three and with two new batters at the crease.

Those batters, Brooke Halliday and Sophie Devine, combined well to get New Zealand back on track, bringing up their fifty partnership from only 25 balls as Devine hit three sixes in five balls.

The partnership ended on 54 as Halliday was expertly run out for 20 by Charlie Dean and Devine went two balls and two runs later, given out LBW off the bowling of Lauren Bell for 30 from 14.

Once again, New Zealand had two new batters at the crease having slipped to 126 for five with Suzie Bates (19) and Maddy Green (17 not out) taking on the charge.

They combined well to move the White Ferns to 163 for six with Bates run out off the final ball of the over.

WYATT-HODGE ANCHORS JOINT-RECORD CHASE

England looked supremely comfortable in the early part of the chase, but they were pinned back when Amelia Kerr caught Amy Jones for 17 off the bowling of Nensi Patel.

The rain started to swirl around the Oval and the teams went off with 99 runs needed for victory but on return, England continued to motor.

Patel was left on her knees as her delivery to Wyatt-Hodge picked up an edge but flew to the boundary as the opener brought up her third fifty of the World Cup off 33 balls.

As England passed 100 in the 11th over, there was an air of inevitability as the hosts punished bad balls and picked their gaps superbly.

Wyatt-Hodge and Sophia Dunkley combined for a 100-run partnership to push the chase below a run-a-ball.

Victory was completed as Dunkley ended on 49 not out from 38, with Wyatt-Hodge carrying her bat with 89 not out from 53 balls with 15 fours and one six as England completed the chase with 16 deliveries to spare.

Scores in brief

England v New Zealand – The Oval, London

New Zealand: 163/6 in 20 overs (Amelia Kerr 42, Sophie Devine 30; Danielle Gibson 2/30, Lauren Bell 1/24)

England: 164/1 in 17.2 overs (Danni Wyatt-Hodge 89 not out, Sophia Dunkley 49 not out; Nensi Patel 1/22)

Result: England win by nine wickets