<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Skipper Kane Williamson hit a quickfire half-century to all but take New Zealand into the Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals as they hammered Ireland by 35 runs on Friday.</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Williamson's 35-ball 61 guided New Zealand to 185-6 and their bowlers kept Ireland down to 150-9 to top Group 1 with seven points after their final Super 12 match in Adelaide.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Australia, who next play Afghanistan at the same venue, and England can go level on points with New Zealand if they win, but the Black Caps have a far superior net run rate. Only a mathematical miracle can push them out now.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Williamson rocked back to form after he failed to convert starts in the earlier matches as New Zealand dominated on a sunny afternoon, despite a hat-trick by Ireland fast bowler Joshua Little.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">New Zealand were cruising at 174-3 in the 19th over when the left-arm quick removed Williamson, James Neesham and Mitchell Santner on successive balls in Adelaide.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">It was the second hat-trick of this edition of the World Cup after Karthik Meiyappan of the Williamson helps New Zealand all but reach T20 World Cup semi-finals</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">United Arab Emirates against Sri Lanka in round one.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Little's strikes checked New Zealand's surge, but Williamson, with his first fifty of this tournament, had already put his team on course for a challenging total.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Daryl Mitchell hit an unbeaten 21-ball 31 and put on a key partnership of 60 with Williamson, who was under scrutiny for his slow batting but smashed five fours and three sixes in his 35-ball knock.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Finn Allen and Devon Conway started cautiously against a disciplined Irish bowling attack after being invited to bat first.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Allen broke the shackles in the fourth over as he smashed leg-spinner Gareth Delany for three fours including two on consecutive deliveries.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">He kept up the charge and hit a six and four off fast bowler Mark Adair before the bowler got him caught at mid-off on the next ball as the Kiwis reached 52-1 at the end of six overs.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">The left-handed Conway found it tough to accelerate despite a couple of boundaries but stood in a 44-run stand with Williamson.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">New Zealand lost their way in the middle with Delany taking two wickets including Glenn Phillips for 17, but Williamson soon took charge.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Paul Stirling (37) and Andrew Balbirnie (30) got the Irish off to a flier in their opening partnership of 68 off 49 balls.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">The giant-killing Irish team had taken down two-time champions the West Indies in round one and then shocked England in a rain-hit Super 12 clash.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">But Balbirnie chopped one on to his stumps off Santner and fellow spinner Ish Sodhi bowled Stirling in the next over to douse Ireland's hopes as their chase fell apart.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Fast bowler Lockie Ferguson returned figures of 3-22 after a double strike in his fourth over. Santner, Sodhi and fast bowler Tim Southee took two wickets each. AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">&nbsp;bnbd24/kh</div>