Afghanistan delivered a commanding performance to crush former finalists New Zealand in a Group C match of the T20 World Cup at Providence Stadium on Friday, June 7 (Saturday morning in India). Spearheaded by Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s blistering 80 and an outstanding bowling display led by captain Rashid Khan, Afghanistan secured an 85-run victory, marking their first-ever T20 international win over New Zealand. The BlackCaps were dismissed for just 75, their fourth-lowest total in T20 cricket.
Rashid Khan and Fazalhaq Farooqi were instrumental with the ball, each taking four wickets, following Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s match-winning knock. This victory represents the second major upset of the tournament, coming a day after Pakistan was stunned by co-hosts USA in Dallas.
New Zealand Outplayed
Kane Williamson’s New Zealand appeared underprepared in their T20 World Cup opener, faltering in all three departments. They struggled with basic fielding, missed catches, and failed to gain any momentum with the bat. The BlackCaps’ innings lasted only 15.2 overs, highlighting their rustiness, which was evident due to the absence of warm-up matches and many top players missing a tour of Bangladesh to participate in the Indian Premier League.
T20 World Cup 2024: Points Table
For Afghanistan, this historic win, coupled with their previous victory over Uganda, positions them strongly at the top of Group C, above co-hosts West Indies. With back-to-back wins, Afghanistan is in a prime position to advance to the Super 8s.
Ruthless Afghanistan Defeats New Zealand for 75
Afghanistan, having set a target of 159 on a sluggish pitch, knew they had enough to challenge the New Zealand batters. Fazalhaq Farooqi struck early, dismissing Finn Allen for a duck on the second ball. Fazalhaq Farooqi, who claimed five wickets against Uganda, dismantled New Zealand’s top order by removing Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell, reducing them to 33 for 3 in the powerplay.
Captain Kane Williamson’s attempt to stabilize the innings was short-lived as Rashid Khan removed him for just nine runs in his first delivery. Rashid Khan then proceeded to dismantle New Zealand’s middle order, taking advantage of the pitch conditions that favored spin. Mohammad Nabi also contributed with two wickets, leaving no respite for the New Zealand batters. Only Glenn Phillips (18) and Matt Henry (12) managed to reach double figures.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran set T20 World Cup record
Rahmanullah Gurbaz shone with the bat, scoring 80 off 54 balls, supported by a 103-run partnership with Ibrahim Zadran. This followed their 154-run stand against Uganda. The BlackCaps’ sloppy fielding, with missed catches and stumping opportunities, allowed the Afghan openers to capitalize, taking Afghanistan to 100 runs quickly. Both batsmen played cautiously initially, reaching 55 for 0 at the end of 10 overs, before accelerating after the drinks break.
Azmatullah Omarzai’s quick 22 off 13 balls helped Afghanistan push their total towards 160.
Upcoming Matches
Afghanistan will next face Papua New Guinea on June 13 in Trinidad, followed by their final league game against the West Indies on June 17 in St Lucia.
