England's 'M&M' factor pays off as visitors beat NZ to level series

Visitors England edge past the Blackcaps by 76 runs in the fourth T20 at McLean Park in Napier. In a match that England needed to win to keep the five-match series alive, witnessed the visitors wreak havoc upon New Zealand, as they amassed massive 243 runs in the first innings itself for the hosts to chase. The final and deciding T20 between the two will be played on November 10 in Auckland. 

New Zealand batting crumbles under pressure

New Zealand got off to a decent start in order to chase down 244. Martin Guptil and Colin Munro kept the New Zealand scorecard ticking as they notched 27 and 30 runs respectively. However, once Guptill fell, New Zealand batting crumbled as they lost wickets in quick succession. At the end of 12th over itself, the Blackcaps were reduced to 126/6, courtesy of Matthew Parkinson who picked up 3 wickets for England. Tim Southee showed promise to resurrect dead innings by smashing 39 runs off just 15 balls. 

READ | New Zealand Beat England By 14 Runs In 3rd T20, Take 2-1 Lead

The 'M&M' Factor pays off for England

As England wreaked havoc upon the Blackcaps, they also broke several records on their way to register 243/3 in the first innings. The innings witnessed the highest total registered by England in the T20 format and also England's highest partnership for any wicket as Morgan and Malan (M&M) clubbed 182 runs together. Captain Eoin Morgan registered England's fastest T20 half-century which was in just 21 balls whereas Dawid Malan notched up England's fastest T20 hundred in 48 balls surpassing Alex Hales. 

READ | Rohit Sharma Wrecks Havoc Against Bangladesh As India Level Series 1-1

England go all guns blazing

New Zealand won the toss and opted to field putting the visitors to bat first. The Blackcaps were quick to draw first blood as Daryl Mitchell caught Bairstow off Mitchell Santner's delivery. Banton's wicket in the eighth over was a blessing in disguise for England and a curse for New Zealand as Captain Eoin Morgan walked in and unleashed wrath upon the Blackcaps. Morgan's crackling blitzkrieg left New Zealand bowlers in splits as Dawid Malan also powered the bowlers from the other end. In a race to score, Malan reached the half-century mark first, registering consecutive half-centuries in the series and just two balls later, Morgan also raised his bat to mark his half-century. The 17th over witnessed some serious bashing as Dawid Malan hit Ish Sodhi around the park to collect 28 runs off his over. Malan went on to register his maiden century and the fastest one for England in the next over itself.  

READ | Smriti Mandhana Reaches 2000 ODI Runs Faster Than Virat Kohli

READ | Rishabh Pant Makes Schoolboy Error, Twiterrati Trolls The Keeper