England Coach Southee Targets Perfect Victory Over New Zealand in High-Stakes World Cup Clash

Tim Southee is backing England to produce a perfect game in the upcoming T20 World Cup clash against New Zealand. He believes everyone in the England team wants to perform well against the Kiwis, who are eyeing a top spot on the Group 2 points table.

"I think everyone wants to go out and do well. I think it's a great sign on this side. We've only dropped one game in the last however many games, and we've won in different ways.” said England bowling coach Tim Southee.

“We haven't played the perfect game or played a complete performance across all three formats, but we've still found ways to win. If it does come off and we do have the perfect game, then it should be a great one to witness." added Tim Southee.

Tim Southee is pleased to see how England have managed to win games under different conditions in ICC T20 World Cup 2026. He especially applauded those players who are not well known at the international circuit, yet their recent performances have impressed many people.

"It's been brilliant how we've been able to win in different ways and different guys stepping up. A lot of the time, probably the guys that aren't as well known for being the dangerous players - Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, guys like that who have come in and had big impacts, [Liam] Dawson. To sit here being already qualified with a game to go is only a good thing." said Tim Southee.

Speaking about the matchup between England vs New Zealand stars, Southee said that both teams have well-balanced lineups which makes the upcoming contest at Colombo highly competitive.

"I think we've got a very well-balanced side. Having the ability to have guys that if it is seam-friendly or spin-friendly to be able to chop and change, much like the New Zealand side... it's very handy to have. So I think both sides have got pretty well-balanced line-ups that can cover both pace and seam." said Tim Southee.