'Best POTM award': Will Jacks on his heroics vs NZ
What's the story
England all-rounder Will Jacks has described his fourth Player of the Match (POTM) award in the ongoing 2026 ICC T20 World Cup as the best one yet. The accolade came after he played a key role in England's Super 8 victory against New Zealand. The Brits will now enter the semi-finals on the back of three back-to-back wins. "I reckon this is the best (of his four POTM awards). Absolutely buzzing with that," Jacks said during the post-match presentation.
Performance
Jacks puts up an all-round show
New Zealand set a challenging target of 159 runs after a strong start from openers Finn Allen (35) and Tim Seifert (29). With the ball, Will Jacks claimed 2/26 in his four overs. In the chase, England lost regular wickets as they required 43 runs in the last three overs, with only four wickets to spare. Jacks (32* off 18) partnered with Rehan Ahmed (19* off 7) as England got home with three balls remaining.
Match pressure
Feel really confident right now, says Jacks
Reflecting on the high-pressure situation, Jacks admitted that the game was finely poised when he walked in to bat. He praised his teammate Rehan Ahmed for his brilliant innings, which included a six off Phillips that "upped the ante and put them on the back foot." "Feel really confident right now. Feel calm in the middle," Jacks said, emphasizing his composure during crucial moments of play.
Match analysis
England showed more composure, admits Santner
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner admitted that England showed more composure in key moments as they narrowly lost the match. He said there were critical moments with both bat and ball that could have swung the game in their favor. "That was a good match," Santner said, acknowledging England's performance while also noting areas where his team could have done better.
Team praise
Brook lauds Jacks for his POTM feat
England captain Harry Brook praised his teammate Will Jacks after the all-rounder bagged his fourth POTM award of the tournament. "Yeah, Jack's who's got his fourth man of the match, in this tournament, which is the most ever, he's just told me," Brook said after England's Super 8 victory. He also revealed that they had decided to pick players based on conditions and it was the right time to bring Jacks into play.
Upcoming challenge
We're not bothered about India or West Indies: Brook
Looking ahead to the semi-final, Brook said England are not worried about facing either India or West Indies. "We're not bothered. We're just going to go out there, and whoever we're facing, they're going to be a tough opponent anyway," he said. The captain also expressed confidence in his team's ability to perform well against strong teams in the upcoming matches.
Information
Jacks goes at par with Watson
With his latest efforts, Jacks has matched Australian legend Shane Watson for the most Player of the Match awards in a single ICC T20 World Cup. Watson's record was set during the 2012 edition of the tournament, which took place in Sri Lanka.