England keep hopes alive with best-ever win in T20 World Cup

England kept their hopes of making the ICC T20 World Super 8s alive after they thrashed Oman by eight wickets, chasing the total in just 3.1 overs to consign the gulf nation to a winless record in the tournament.

England’s win is the best in T20 World Cup history in terms of balls remaining, as they won with 101 balls in the bag.

It is also the sixth best in T20 Internationals and the best by a Test nation with regard to the number of balls remaining. Spain’s win against Isle on Man in two balls, with 118 balls remaining, is the best-ever. But they are an Associate nation.  

Japan, Kenya, Rwanda, Austria, Oman, Sierra Leone, and Luxembourg have also won with more than or equal to 101 balls remaining. But like Spain, they are Associate nations.

The Jos Buttler-led team had to endure a washout against Scotland and a loss against Australia that put their chances of qualifying for the tournament’s second stage in jeopardy.

However, they thrashed the Omani team in style, skittling them out first for just 47 with Adil Rashid taking 4/11 and Mark Wood and Jofra Archer returning with identical figures of 3/12 at North Sound in Antigua.

Buttler then blasted his way to unbeaten 8-ball 24 while Phil Salt scored 12 off three and Jonny Bairstow eight off two balls, their team reaching the target in 19 balls.

England now need to beat the already-eliminated Namibia and hope that Scotland lose to Australia. 

T20 World Cup, England, Super 8s,