A technical glitch took place before the Super Eight clash between England and New Zealand at the R Premadasa Stadium on Thursday. With semifinal spots
on the line in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, New Zealand’s national anthem was accidentally played in fast forward, bringing a smile on players face ahead of the clash.
As the Black Caps lined up to sing “God Defend New Zealand,” the audio suddenly blared out at double speed. Several New Zealand players exchanged glances before breaking into smiles. Some attempted to keep pace with the accelerated tune, while others simply stood stunned, trying not to burst out laughing. England players, too, were seen grinning at the unusual blunder. Batter Finn Allen could hardly contain himself, while Tim Seifert and Matt Henry were visibly amused as the anthem raced along.
Watch the video below:
NZ new national anthem in India! #T20WorldCup2026 #NZ pic.twitter.com/hKVky1jELO
— Cilliers Visser (@Cilliersv) February 27, 2026
Meanwhile, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and opted to bat first on a surface that had shown signs of turn in the previous match. The Black Caps named an unchanged XI, while England made one change, bringing in leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed for Jamie Overton.
New Zealand made a positive start in the powerplay. Tim Seifert and Finn Allen scored 54 runs without loss in the first six overs. Seifert was particularly aggressive against Jofra Archer. However, England’s spinners pulled things back.
Adil Rashid broke the opening stand by deceiving Seifert in flight, with Jos Buttler completing a sharp stumping. Soon after, Will Jacks dismissed Allen, and the innings began to lose momentum.
Rehan Ahmed made an immediate impact on his World Cup debut, removing Rachin Ravindra with his very first ball. Glenn Phillips tried to counterattack, top-scoring with 39 off 28 balls, but England’s spin trio of Rashid, Jacks, and Rehan kept chipping away. Liam Dawson also joined the party with a key wicket, ensuring there was no late finish. New Zealand eventually posted 159 for 7 in their 20 overs.
