DHAKA: England won the toss and elected to bowl against New Zealand in the first semi-final in World T20 in Delhi.
New Zealand were facing their fifth different venue in as many matches and were they to reach the final they would do so without chasing at any time in the tournament.
Expectations of a slightly quicker surface in Delhi than New Zealand had normally encountered, with limited spin, led them to include the pace of Adam Milne ahead of the offspin of Nathan McCullum - reverting to the XI which saw off Australia in Dharamsala.
Eoin Morgan's decision to bowl was influenced not just by England's preference for chasing but the belief that evening dew in the second innings might tilt conditions a little in their favour. "It looks a pretty good surface," he said.
"If it is going to change it will be later on this evening with a bit of dew."
New Zealand's surprise package - the spinners Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi - still lay in wait. Would England cope? "We will see tonight," Morgan said.
"We have been very relaxed here and we have played on two different wickets."
The pitch appeared to have a little grass, but given the venue's history that did not mean there would be much response for bowlers of any type. England's two previous games, against Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, had been played on slowish surfaces, one dry and slow, one damper and a little quicker, but neither offered much turn.
Almost no one would have expected New Zealand to leave both Trent Boult and Tim Southee out for the entire group stage, yet the semi-final had arrived and they were excluded once more.
England Team
Alex Hales, Jason Roy, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (capt), Jos Buttler (wk), Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Chris Jordan, David Willey and Liam Plunkett
New Zealand Team
Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson (capt), Colin Munro, Ross Taylor, Grant Elliott, Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi (wk), Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Ish Sodhi and Mitchell McClenaghan
BDST: 2103 HRS, MAR 30, 2016
RR
** England to face Kiwis in 1st semi-final
