Afghanistan needed a great start to put further pressure on New Zealand and Mujeeb Ur Rahman provided the breakthroughs for Afghanistan. Afghanistan batting first through an excellent fifty from Gulbadin Naib and contributions from other players posted a healthy 182/6 in 20 overs which is good score in Chennai as New Zealand haven’t chased a total excess of 170 in World Cups.
Tim Seifert and Finn Allen came out to open the batting for New Zealand as Seifert after getting his eye in hit Fazalhaq Farooqi for three boundaries in the over as the Kiwis got to 12/0 and off to a good start to put Afghanistan under pressure. Afghanistan then had to get an early wicket and Rashid Khan the captain turned to Mujeeb Ur Rahman who bowls well in the powerplay and he did the trick for Afghanistan.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman removed Finn Allen & Rachin Ravindra in two balls.Â
New Zealand were 12/0 in 1 overs and went to 14 in 2.2 overs when Allen came on strike to face Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Mujeeb struck for Afghanistan as he cleaned him up for 1 off 2 balls. Mujeeb bowled a short ball and around the off-stump. The ball spins back in and skidded through off the deck. Allen went back and tried to pull but the ball came back a bit quicker than he would have expected it to be. He got beaten on the inside edge and the ball went onto crash the middle stump.
Rachin Ravindra came out to bat next and was cleaned up first ball for a golden duck. Mujeeb was over the moon with the wicket. Mujeeb flighted the ball much fuller and around the middle stump from around the wicket. Ravindra didn’t get a time to settle in and got surprised. He tried to bring his bat down to jam but missed it. The batter Ravindra got beaten on the inside edge as the ball rolled on to rattle the leg stump. Mujeeb had two in two balls and was on a hat-trick.
Glenn Phillips came out to bat next and survived the hat-trick ball by a whisker. The onus was now on Seifert and Phillips to rescue things and rebuild things for New Zealand and take the game forward. Azmatullah Omarzai came into the attack next as Seifert took him on and pulled it away to deep square leg for a boundary. Phillips whipped him away for another boundary to deep backward square leg.
Mujeeb continued and was helped on its way for a boundary to short fine leg fence. Farooqi returned as Seifert got on top of the bounce and pulled it away to the deep midwicket fence for a boundary. Seifert thumped him again over wide long-on down the ground for the maximum. Seifert survived a close run out as well. Mujeeb bowled the last over of powerplay as Phillips played it nicely by sweeping to left of short fine leg fielder for a boundary.
Phillips smashed him away as he went over mid-off for a boundary off Rehman. New Zealand counter-attacked and brought up their fifty inside the powerplay in 5.5 overs. They were 52/2 in 6 overs with Phillips unbeaten on 18 off 14 balls while Seifert was unbeaten on 31 off 19 balls.
What Lies Ahead.Â
Mujeeb has given Afghanistan a great start but as we speak New Zealand are fighting back through Phillips and Seifert and so, the next passage will be interesting for both teams and important as well. The counter attack is on and New Zealand through Phillips and Seifert have rebounded well from those two wickets and have crossed 50 inside the powerplay. The Kiwis are 52/2 in 6 overs at the end of the powerplay and now the middle phase will be fascinating for both teams.
An interesting chase is ahead of us now in the middle phase and can New Zealand pull off a historic chase or will Afghanistan defend this total? We shall find out the answer soon.
Also Read: ICC T20 WC 2026: Gulbadin Naib’s Masterful Knock Stuns New Zealand