David Malan And Eoin Morgan Blaze England To A Series-Leveling Win

England bounced back remarkably well from their last two T20I losses to thrash New Zealand by 76 runs in the fourth game in Napier. The tourists registered their second victory of the series, heading to the series decider in Auckland on Sunday.

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Headlined by a century from Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan & Co posted their highest total in the shortest format. Having sent to bat first by Tim Southee, Tom Banton set the base for England. Jonny Bairstow holed out to deep midwicket in the fourth over for eight. The partnership between Dawid Malan and Tom Banton scurried off England to 58 in a little more than seven overs.

Mitchell Santner sent back Banton for 31 after picking up Bairstow. However, the partnership that defined the match for England was the one between Dawid Malan and captain Eoin Morgan. Malan was one of the batsmen England looked up to in this series in the absence of their limited-overs specialists. And Malan put his hand up in every game.

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In Napier, in a must-win game, he brought his best. The 32-year old took Ish Sodhi for 28 runs in the 17th over to reach 89. He brought his century by smashing a six off Boult to deep midwicket. Malan’s T20I hundred in 48 balls was the fastest by an Englishman and only the second in a T20 international after Alex Hales scored against Sri Lanka in 2014.

Morgan was equally destructive in his blistering knock of 91. The duo stitched a partnership of 182 runs that came to an end in the penultimate ball of the innings. The visitors hammered 85 off their last five and 153 off their last ten to propel their side to 241. Eoin Morgan was dismissed for 91 by Tim Southee in the second last ball of England’s innings while the eventual man of the match – Dawid Malan remained unbeaten on 103.

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The scorecard in detail of the English innings:-

Chasing 242, the Kiwis cracked 54 in less than five overs. However, they lost four quick wickets in the space of nearly three overs to leave them at 70-4. From there, there were flashes; however, none of their batters could play a big inning. Skipper Tim Southee top-scored for them with 39 off 15 balls. Finally, the hosts got bundled out for 165.

The pick of the bowlers for England was Matt Parkinson. The leg-spinner picked up four wickets for 47 runs in four overs. Chris Jordan picked up a couple of scalps while the Curran brothers and Pat Brown chipped in with one each.