T20 World Cup semi-final, England vs New Zealand stats: Form guide, head-to-head record and players to watch out for

England and New Zealand will battle in the first semi-final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 on Wednesday with an eye on the final. The two teams are familiar with each other's whereabouts, and in fact, it was a couple of years ago that England and New Zealand highlighted the final of the 2019 World Cup, in which the home team edged the Kiwis on a superior boundary count after the Super Over failed to determine a winner. Ahead of the much-anticipated semi-final, we take a detailed look at some important stats and trivia related to the game.

Form Guide

In the build-up to the semi-final, England and New Zealand are in red-hot form and there is absolutely nothing to differentiate between the two teams. After suffering a defeat at the hands of Pakistan, New Zealand bounced back to win their next four matches, defeating India, Scotland, Namibia and Afghanistan to seal their semi-final berth. England, on the other hand, started the campaign with a roar, winning their first four matches against West Indies, Bangladesh, Australia and Sri Lanka, before losing to South Africa.

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Head-to-Head record

England and New Zealand have faced each other in 21 T20Is, with the current world champions leading 21-7 with one match ending in a tie. In the last five matches between the two teams, England have won three. During England's 2019 tour of New Zealand, Eoin Morgan’s team won the opening contest by seven wickets before the Kiwis won two on the bounce. England levelled the series with a 76-run win in Napier, which saw them score 241/3 in 20 overs. The decider went into a Super Over in which, England triumphed by nine runs.

Players to watch out for

Jos Buttler: With 240 runs, Buttler is the 2nd highest run getter in T20 World Cup. He is the only batsman to score a century this tournament so far. Buttler has smashed 13 sixes so far which is also the most by a batsman in this World Cup. Against New Zealand, Buttler has scored 176 runs in 8 innings including a half-century.

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Martin Guptill: Martin Guptill has scored 176 runs in this T20 World Cup and has got starts in all of the innings and is the only New Zealand batsman to score a half-century in this tournament. Guptill has scored 467 runs against England which is the most by a New Zealand an overall the 3rd highest run getter in T20Is. Against England, Guptill has hit four half-centuries and the last time he batted, the opener Guptill smashed a 19-balls fifty in 2019.

Trent Boult: Trent Boult has been exceptional with the ball for New Zealand and has picked 11 wickets in 5 matches. He is the only pacer in this tournament to pick more than 10 wickets so far. Against England Boult has 9 wickets in 7 innings out of which three times he has gone wicketless.

Moeen Ali: Moeen Ali hasn’t put a foot wrong in this T20 World Cup, he has scored 41 runs in 3 innings at a strike rate of 124.24. Besides, Moeen has picked 7 wickets in just 4 innings at an economy rate of 5.50 which is the best among all the English bowlers and a bowling average of 11.00.

Kane Williamson: Despite his elbow continuing to trouble him, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson has managed to put up scores of 25, 33*, 28 and 40 in his last five matches. He may say that New Zealand have moved on from the heartbreak of the 2019 final defeat, the skipper would have revenge in mind with another knockout ahead. Williamson would hope that his experience of playing the IPL with Sunrisers Hyderabad and five matches of the T20 World Cup comes handy Wednesday evening in Abu Dhabi.