Afghanistan continued their dominant run in the ICC T20 World Cup, securing a convincing 84-run victory over New Zealand in their second Group C match on Saturday. This win follows their comprehensive 125-run triumph against Uganda in the opening encounter.
Opting to field first after winning the toss, New Zealand failed to contain the Afghan batting onslaught. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the opening batsman, blazed to a brilliant 80 runs off just 56 balls, peppering the boundaries with five sixes and five fours. Ibrahim Zadran provided valuable support with a 41-run knock, including three fours and two sixes. The duo stitched together a crucial 100-run opening partnership, laying the foundation for a strong total.
Despite contributions from Azmatullah Omarzai (22 runs) and skipper Rashid Khan (6 runs), the middle order couldn’t capitalize significantly. However, the damage had already been done. Afghanistan closed their innings at a competitive 159 runs for the loss of 6 wickets.
New Zealand’s chase crumbled under the pressure of a daunting target. Their batting order faltered against the potent Afghan bowling attack. Rashid Khan, leading by example, spearheaded the bowling assault, claiming a four-wicket haul for just 17 runs in his four overs. Fazalhaq Farooqi provided excellent support, picking up four wickets of his own in a miserly 3.2 overs spell, conceding only 17 runs. Mohammad Nabi chipped in with two wickets to further dismantle the Kiwi batting lineup.
Glenn Phillips top-scored for New Zealand with a meagre 18 runs, while Matt Henry managed 12 runs. None of the other batsmen could reach double digits as New Zealand were bundled out for a mere 75 runs in 15.2 overs.
This comprehensive victory solidifies Afghanistan’s position at the top of Group C with a perfect record of four points from two matches. New Zealand, on the other hand, find themselves languishing at the bottom of the group after this disappointing defeat.
