Afghanistan strengthened their position in the Super Eight stage with a commanding 84-run victory over New Zealand in Providence. Following their 125-run triumph against Uganda in their first match, Afghanistan now leads Group C with a remarkable net run rate of 5.225.
After being put into bat, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran propelled Afghanistan to a strong start, amassing 103 runs in 14.3 overs. This partnership followed their impressive 154-run stand against Uganda, marking them as the first opening duo in T20 World Cup history to achieve two consecutive century partnerships.
Afghanistan's innings was characterized by two contrasting phases. They reached 55 without loss in the first ten overs, but their momentum shifted in the latter half, adding 104 runs for the loss of six wickets in the final ten overs. Gurbaz was the standout performer with 80 off 56 balls. New Zealand, who opted out of warm-up matches, appeared out of sync, struggling with dropped catches and missed run-outs.
The pitch offered assistance to both seamers and spinners, making Afghanistan's total of 159 seem daunting. Few, however, anticipated New Zealand’s dramatic collapse.
Fazalhaq Farooqi wreaked havoc in the powerplay, taking three wickets, while Rashid Khan followed suit with another three immediately after. Both bowlers finished with identical figures of 4 for 17, as New Zealand were bundled out for a mere 75 in 15.2 overs. Only Glenn Phillips and Matt Henry managed to reach double figures for New Zealand.
Afghanistan’s Fortunate Start
Trent Boult initially found some swing, but Gurbaz and Zadran quickly countered by hitting three boundaries off Matt Henry in the second over. The Afghan openers benefitted from a series of lucky breaks. Gurbaz had a narrow escape when he missed a delivery from Mitchell Santner that just brushed his leg stump without dislodging the bails. In the next over, Finn Allen dropped Zadran at deep square-leg off Henry.
Another fortunate moment came when a mix-up between the batsmen almost led to Gurbaz’s run-out, but Devon Conway fumbled the throw. Shortly after, Santner thought he had trapped Zadran lbw, only for a review to overturn the decision as the ball was drifting down leg side. Zadran responded by lofting Santner for an elegant inside-out four, taking Afghanistan to 44 without loss by the end of the powerplay.
Middle-overs Pressure
New Zealand introduced Michael Bracewell and Lockie Ferguson to stem the flow of runs. Bracewell, defying the usual reluctance to bowl off-spin to right-handers, was economical, conceding only six runs in his first two overs. Ferguson was even tighter, giving away just five runs in his opening two overs. Despite these efforts, Afghanistan remained unscathed at 55 for no loss after ten overs, though runs were hard to come by.
The Late Surge
Afghanistan turned up the heat in the next phase, hitting five sixes in three overs. Gurbaz and Zadran, in particular, unleashed a flurry of boundaries against Bracewell. The 100-run milestone was crossed in the 14th over, but New Zealand finally got a breakthrough when Henry bowled Zadran with a short ball, right after striking him on the helmet grille.
Promoted to number three, Azmatullah Omarzai made a quick impact with 22 off 13 balls, including two sixes off Henry. Mohammad Nabi was dismissed for a golden duck, but Gurbaz continued his onslaught. Despite a late three-wicket over from Boult, which restricted Afghanistan to 159, their bowlers ensured it was more than enough for a convincing victory.
Farooqi Sparks Early Collapse for New Zealand
Afghanistan's Fazalhaq Farooqi provided a sensational start with the ball against New Zealand. Right from the first ball of the innings, he made an impact by uprooting Finn Allen's leg stump with a late-moving delivery. In his next over, Farooqi's deceptive pace off the pitch led to Devon Conway edging a slower ball, resulting in a catch at extra cover.
Continuing his impressive spell, Farooqi was given a third over in the powerplay, and he capitalized once more. Bowling around the wicket, he delivered a length ball that straightened just enough to catch Daryl Mitchell's outside edge, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz completing the dismissal behind the stumps. This left New Zealand struggling at 28 for 3.
The situation could have been more dire for New Zealand when Naveen-ul-Haq struck Kane Williamson's pad with a delivery that prompted an lbw review. However, the decision stayed with the umpire, sparing the New Zealand skipper.
Rashid Khan Turns the Screw
Afghanistan didn't have to wait long after the powerplay for another breakthrough. Rashid Khan brought himself into the attack and immediately removed Williamson, who edged a delivery to first slip. Rashid's impact grew as he continued his spell. In his next over, he dismissed Mark Chapman and Michael Bracewell with consecutive deliveries. Chapman was bowled attempting a pull shot, while Bracewell was caught lbw after failing to bring his bat down in time.
With New Zealand reeling at 43 for 6, Glenn Phillips remained their last glimmer of hope. Despite managing to hit a couple of boundaries, Phillips' resistance was short-lived as he was caught at long-on attempting to clear Mohammad Nabi. This dismissal extinguished any remaining hopes for a New Zealand comeback.
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