NZ Vs SCO, T20 World Cup: New Zealand Beat Scotland To Increase Pressure On India

New Zealand did just enough to beat a spirited Scotland by 16 runs in their Super 12 match of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021 in Dubai, UAE on Wednesday. The win helped the Kiwis keep their semi-final hopes alive and they are now third in Group 2 table, behind already qualified Pakistan and Afghanistan, who are taking on India in the second match today. Afghanistan, India and New Zealand are in a direct fight for the second semis spot from the group, and the Kiwi win has put more pressure on Virat Kohli & Co. Kyle Coetzer returned to lead Scotland, and he opted to bowl first against unchanged New Zealand. But they ended up conceding 172 runs with Martin Guptill hitting 93 in 56 balls, with the help of seven sixes. Kiwis were struggling at 52/3 in 6.1 overs, but Guptill and Glenn Phillips (33 off 37) stitched a century stand to deflate the Scots. In reply, the Associate team got off to a decent start, but the lack of a big knock proved detrimental. Michael Leask played an unbeaten knock of 42 off 22 towards the end to keep their faint hopes alive. They ended up 16 runs short. Scotland are yet to win a Super 12 match. Kiwis next play Namibia in Sharjah on November 5, then Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi two days later. Scotland face India in Dubai on November 5, and Pakistan in Sharjah on November 7. Catch highlights of NZ vs SCO, T20 World Cup 2021 match here:

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7:00 PM IST: Result

Adam Milne with the final over. Michael Leask hits the fourth ball for a four. Nine from the over. And New Zealand win by 16 runs. Leask unbeaten on 42 off 20. SCO - 156/5 (20); NZ - 172/5 (20)

6:56 PM IST: 26 In 6

Tim Southee on with the penultimate over. Michael Leask hits the last ball for a six, over deep micket. 13 from the over. Southee's figures: 1/24. Scotland need 26 runs in 6 balls. SCO - 147/6 (19)

6:50 PM IST: 39 In 12

Ish Sodhi with his final over. Michael Leask hits the fourth ball for a six, over square leg boundary. And two more fours to make it a 17-run over. Sodhi's figures: 2/42. Scotland need 39 runs in 12 balls. SCO - 134/5 (18)

6:41 PM IST: 65 In 24

Ish Sodhi gets his second wicket. Richie Berrington gets a top edge off the fourth and is caught at short third man by Devon Conway. Easy take. Chris Greaves joins Michael Leask. Five runs from the over. Scotland need 65 runs in 24 balls. SCO - 108/5 (16)

6:34 PM IST: Four Down

Trent Boult returns for third over. Two dots, then two singles. And cleans up Calum MacLeod (12 off 15). Michael Leask is the new man. And takes a single to end the over. 27 runs and two wickets in the last five overs. Scotland need 70 runs in 30 balls. SCO - 103/4 (15)

6:29 PM IST: 100 Up

Mitchell Santner completes his spell. Richie Berrington hits the last ball for a six, over backward square. 13 from the over. Santner's figures: 0/23. Scotland need 73 runs in 36 balls. SCO - 100/3 (14)

6:17 PM IST: Southee Strikes

Tim Southee strikes soon after the drinks. Tim Southee brings back enough to breach Matthew Cross' defence. Bowled off the fifth ball. Cross goes for 27 off 29. Calum MacLeod joins Richie Berrington in the middle. SCO - 76/3 (10.5)

6:12 PM IST: Drinks

Ish Sodhi continues. Five from his second over. In the previous over, his spin partner Mitchell Santner conceded four singles. SCO - 76/2 (10)

6:04 PM IST: Two Down

Ish Sodhi on with his first over. George Munsey hits back-to-back sixes off the third and fourth. Then holes fails to clear long-on with Tim Southee taking a brilliant catch. Richie Berrington is the new man and he takes a single. 16 from the over. SCO - 67/2 (8)

5:53 PM IST: Powerplay Over

Adam Milne continues. Matthew Cross hits four fours on the trot. One more. And a dot. 20 from the over. Milne delivered a maiden over to Cross early. SCO - 48/1 (6)

5:39 PM IST: Boult Strikes

Trent Boult continues. Kyle Coetzer hits the second ball for a four, through cover. A dot, then the wicket. A leading-edge and Coetzer is caught at mid on by Tim Southee. Scotland skipper goes for 17 off 11. Matthew Cross is the new batter. Eight from the over, including a four off the last ball, hit by George Munsey. SCO - 25/1

5:28 PM IST: Chase Begins

Trent Boult with the new ball. Kyle Coetzer hits the third and sixth deliveries for fours. Nine from the over. Target for Scotland - 173

5:13 PM IST: Innings Break

Safyaan Sharif with the final over of the innings. Nine from the over. 22 runs in the last three overs. 52 in the last five. His figures: 2/28. NZ - 172/5 (20)

5:05 PM IST: Guptill Out For 93

Bradley Wheal on with the penultimate over. Wickets of successive deliveries. Glenn Phillips (33 off 37) holes out off the second ball at deep mid-wicket, taken by Chris Greaves. Then wicket of Martin Guptill (93 off 56), caught by Calum MacLeod at long on. James Neesham and Mitchell Santner are the new men. Neesham takes a single to deny Wheal a hat-trick. A four off the last ball as Neesham hits it to cow corner. Eight runs from the over. Wheal's figures: 2/40. NZ - 163/5 (19)

4:54 PM IST: 150 Up

Alasdair Evans with his final over. A single and a dot then two wides. Martin Guptil hits the next ball for a six, over deep mid-wicket, his seventh maximum today. 13 runs from the over. Evans' figures: 0/48. Guptil is unbeaten on 92 off 53. His stand with Glenn Phillips (30 off 31) is now worth 98in 66. NZ - 150/3 (17)

4:42 PM IST: Another Guptill Six

Bradley Wheal returns for his third ball. Martin Guptill hits the first ball for a six, over square leg boundary. 10 from the over. 50 runs in the last five overs. NZ - 120/3 (15)

4:35 PM IST: Guptill Fifty

Fifty with a 102 m long six for Martin Guptill (59 off 38) in 35 balls. Also a 50-run stand for the fourth-wicket with Glenn Phillips (22 off 22). 14 runs from Chris Greaves's third over. 48 runs in the last 30 balls. NZ - 106/3 (13)

4:19 PM IST: Drinks

Chris Greaves on with his second over. Martin Guptill hits the fifth ball for a four, behind point. Eight from the over. 34 runs and one wicket in the last five overs. NZ - 70/3 (10)

4:07 PM IST: Two Down

Bowling change. Mark Watt on and he gets the wicket of Devon Conway. The left-handed batter goes for an adventurous reverse sweep, but ends up losing his wicket. Good take behind the wickets by Matthew Cross. Conway goes for 1 off 3. Glenn Phillips is the new man. 52/3 (6.1)

4:03 PM IST: Powerplay Over

Alasdair Evans continues. Martin Guptill hits the third ball for a four, over mid-on. And a six off the fourth after a wide, a powerful flick. 19 from the over. NZ - 52/2 (6)

3:57 PM IST: Kiwis In Crisis

Safyaan Sharif gets the wicket of Kane Williamson, caught behind. Faint nick as the Kiwi skipper goes for glance. He goes for a four-ball duck. Two wickets in four balls. Devon Conway is the new man. NZ - 35/2 (4.5)

3:52 PM IST: First Wicket

Safyaan Sharif continues and he strikes with first ball. Daryl Mitchell (13 off 11), LBW. New Zealand take review but the ball clipping top of leg stump. Kane Williamson is the new man. NZ - NZ 35/1 (4.1)

3:45 PM IST: Guptill Fours

Alasdair Evans with his first over. Martin Guptill hits the third and fourth balls for fours. Nine from it. In the previous over, Safyaan Sharif conceded a single. NZ - 23/0 (3)

3:35 PM IST: Busy Over

Brad Weal with the new ball. Martin Guptill takes the strike. After two dots, he hits the third ball for a four, over extra cover for first runs. A single, and five wides, down the leg. Daryl Mitchell takes a double, to third man. A quick single to mid-on to end the over. 13 from the over.

3:08 PM IST: Playing XIs

Kyle Coetzer returns to lead Scotland. He replaces Craig Wallace. Also, Alasdair Evans replaces injured Josh Davey. New Zealand are unchanged. Here are the playing XIs -

New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Kane Williamson (c), Devon Conway (wk), James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult.

Scotland: George Munsey, Kyle Coetzer(c), Matthew Cross(w), Richie Berrington, Calum MacLeod, Michael Leask, Chris Greaves, Mark Watt, Safyaan Sharif, Alasdair Evans, Bradley Wheal

3:03 PM IST: Toss

Scotland win the toss and will bowl first against New Zealand.

Squads

New Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Devon Conway, Tim Seifert (wk), James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Mark Chapman, Adam Milne, Kyle Jamieson, Todd Astle.

Scotland: Kyle Coetzer (c), Richie Berrington, Dylan Budge, Matthew Cross, Josh Davey, Alasdair Evans, Chris Greaves, Michael Leask, Calum MacLeod, George Munsey, Safyaan Sharif, Hamza Tahir, Craig Wallace, Mark Watt, Bradley Wheal.