England vs. New Zealand Predictions: Let’s See Who’ll Make It To The Next Round

The last time England and New Zealand met in this format, it was an instant classic, a slow-burning epic that ended England's World Cup dreams.

Just over a year later, England will risk elimination unless they can defeat one of the tournament's two unbeaten teams at the Gabba. They would still be mathematically alive if they lost on Tuesday night, but will need Afghanistan to beat Australia on Friday before facing Sri Lanka in their last match in Sydney. In a nutshell, this is a must-win situation.

England's net run rate should not be a huge issue at this point, owing in large part to Ireland's Lorcan Tucker. When Ireland was 25 for 5, Australia was on course for a decisive win, but Tucker's unbeaten 71 cut the margin of loss dramatically. As a consequence, two victories should be enough for England to go to the semi-finals, and they will have the benefit of playing the last game in Group 1.

New Zealand has swept through Australia and Sri Lanka, and a win in Brisbane would secure them a semi-final spot in the T20 World Cup for the third time in a row. Furthermore, considering their net run rate, they will be on the verge of securing first place. Even if they lose, New Zealand will still be in a good position, albeit they will most likely need to defeat Ireland in Adelaide on Friday to advance.

Enough with the possibilities; let's go to the game, which may be won or lost on the two powerplays. Trent Boult and Tim Southee, who have been New Zealand's opening bowlers across formats for the majority of the previous decade, have been lethal with the new ball since arriving in Australia, while England's top order is yet to ignite. Jos Buttler has had great success against Boult in T20s, but can he be able to beat his Rajasthan Royals teammate in Brisbane?

When it comes to the matchup between the two clubs, there isn't much to pick from. New Zealand has won two of its three games so far, and both of those victories have been significant. They will carry that belief into the game against England. The game will be won by New Zealand.

• New Zealand Total Runs In First 6 Overs Under 45.5 for 1.8
• 5 - Over, Total Runs England Under 8.5 for 1.8
• Total Under 318.5 for 1.832