New Zealand chased 183 to secure a composed five-wicket victory
Tim Seifert’s counterattacking 65 shifted momentum after early wickets
Afghanistan struck through Mujeeb but couldn’t stop the middle-overs rebuild
Afghanistan chose to bat first in their Group D clash against New Zealand at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai and made the most of a competitive surface, posting a strong total of 182/6 in 20 overs.
Gulbadin Naib led the charge with a powerful 63-run knock, while contributions from Sediqullah Atal and Rahmanullah Gurbaz helped Afghanistan build a target that looked threatening for the Kiwis. The Afghan middle order steadied the innings after early wickets, showcasing good intent against New Zealand’s bowling attack.
Chasing 183, New Zealand were rocked early when Mujeeb Ur Rahman struck twice in quick succession, dismissing Finn Allen and Rachin Ravindra to leave the Kiwis in trouble.
Also Check: NZ vs AFG Highlights
But Tim Seifert’s aggressive approach and Glenn Phillips’ fluent innings changed the momentum. Seifert’s 65 off 42 balls anchored the chase while Phillips’ 42 off 25 provided brisk support, keeping the run rate in check and steadily erasing Afghanistan’s advantage.
Afghanistan Vs New Zealand, ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Ball-By-Ball Commentary
New Zealand completed the five-wicket victory in 17.5 overs, securing a much-needed early win in the tournament and avoiding a repeat of their previous World Cup loss to Afghanistan. The result highlighted New Zealand’s ability to recover from early setbacks and counterattack effectively against quality spin bowling.
Afghanistan Vs New Zealand, ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Toss Update And Playing XIs
Afghanistan have won the toss and have opted to bat.
New Zealand (Playing XI): Finn Allen, Tim Seifert(w), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner(c), James Neesham, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy
Afghanistan (Playing XI): Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan(c), Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi
