Afghanistan outplayed New Zealand in Guyana, securing their second consecutive win in the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with a dominant 7-wicket victory over the Kiwis.
Despite an initial strong opening by New Zealand, Afghanistan’s bowlers turned the game around. Fazalhaq Farooqi set the tone with 3 early wickets, continuing his form from the previous match against Uganda. Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi dominated the middle overs, with Rashid taking 4 wickets and Nabi adding 2 more. Farooqi completed the match with a total of 4 wickets.
New Zealand struggled throughout their match, an unusual sight for the team. Chasing 160 runs, New Zealand’s innings faltered early, losing both openers within two overs. Daryl Mitchell and Kane Williamson couldn’t stabilize the innings, and wickets kept falling as the team struggled against Afghanistan’s spinners. In a massive collapse, New Zealand was bowled out for just 75, their fourth-lowest total in T20I history.
Earlier, Afghanistan, batting first, got off to a quick start with Rahmanullah Gurbaz(80) and Ibrahim Zadran(44) finding early boundaries and putting New Zealand under pressure. The Kiwis were erratic in the field and missed opportunities. After a solid Powerplay, the Afghan openers slowed before accelerating again midway through the innings. Azmatullah Omarzai(22) contributed with a quick knock, but after his dismissal, Gurbaz struggled to find support and was eventually out for 80. Afghanistan posted a total of 159.
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For New Zealand, Mitchell Santner was economical but wicketless, while Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson performed well despite Matt Henry being expensive. This win is a landmark for Afghanistan as they beat New Zealand in T20Is for the first time.
Last Updated on June 8, 2024
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