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Afghanistan Saturday clinched an impressive 84-run victory over New Zealand in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.
The Afghan side, led by skipper Rashid Khan bowled out the Black Caps at 75 runs in 15.2 overs while chasing a 160-run target.
Rashid took four wickets while giving 17 runs as Afghan bowlers utilised the pitch effectively, assisting both pace and spin at the Providence Stadium.
This is the Afghan side’s second win in the tournament as they previously defeated Uganda by 125 runs at the same venue on Tuesday and are on top of Group C.
After New Zealand captain Kane Williamson elected to field first, Afghanistan reached a respectable 159 for six from their 50 overs, with openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz (80) and Ibrahim Zadrau (44) putting on 103 for the first wicket from 14.3 overs.
Left-arm pace bowler Trent Boult took the new ball, with Lockie Ferguson opening from the other end, and conceded three boundaries in a row to Zadrau, two of them from streaky shots that flew down to fine leg and third man respectively.
Zadrau was dropped on the square leg boundary by Finn Allen from a lofted hook that he appeared to lose in the lights with the batsman on 13.
Gurbaz had already received a let off when he dabbed the ball to third man, took off for a single and was out of his crease when he was sent back, but wicketkeeper Devon Conway was unable to catch the return.
New Zealand would still have been reasonably happy at the halfway stage with Afghanistan on 55 for two, but the two openers then went on the charge.
Zadrau hit off-spinner Michael Bracewell for a brace of sixes and Gurbaz cracked Boult for another six when the pace bowler returned.
The Black Caps finally took a wicket when Matt Henry bowled Zadrau, and Henry took a second wicket when Azmatullah Omazari was caught by Lockie Ferguson for 22. Boult returned to take two wickets in the final over with a runout.
The Kiwis were immediately in trouble when they lost Finn Allen to the first ball of their innings, bowled leg stump by a ball from Fazalhaq Farooqi that jagged back off the seam.
His opening partner Conway followed for eight and Daryl Mitchell was caught behind for five leaving New Zealand at a parlous 28 for three.
Rashid then took the ball and struck in his first over, dismissing Mark Chapman for four and Bracewell with his next delivery.
He then dismissed his opposite number, Williamson caught at slip, and New Zealand were finally all out after 15.2 overs for their second-lowest T20 score ever.
Teams:
Afghanistan (Playing XI): Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan(c), Karim Janat, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
New Zealand (Playing XI): Finn Allen, Devon Conway(w), Kane Williamson(c), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson.
