CHENNAI, India (AP) — New Zealand avenged its loss to Afghanistan two years ago with a thumping five-wicket win at the T20 World Cup on Sunday.
In what is expected to shape up as the toughest group in the tournament with 2024 finalist South Africa also in Group D, New Zealand cruised to 183-5 – its highest ever chase at the T20 World Cup – with two overs to spare.
Gulbadin Naib, batting at No. 3 for the first time in T20s since the 2024 World Cup when Afghanistan knocked out the Black Caps from the race to the semis with an 84-run win at Guyana, smashed 63 off 35 balls as Afghanistan posted 182-6 after winning the toss.
But opening batter Tim Seifert (65) raised his maiden T20 World Cup half-century to overcome Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s twin strike that had rattled New Zealand to 2-14 inside the first two overs.
Mujeeb clean bowled Finn Allen and Rachin Ravindra off successive balls before Glenn Phillips (42) dealt with the hat-trick ball and then put the chase back on track by putting on an aggressive 74-run partnership with Seifert.
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan (1-36) also couldn’t stem the flow of runs as New Zealand continued to accelerate in the middle overs against the experienced leg-spinner.
Rashid broke the stand in the 10th over when Phillips exposed his stumps against Rashid’s full-pitched ball and dragged it back onto his stumps. Then Rashid couldn’t hold onto a sharp return catch from Seifert before the opener had reached his half-century.
Seifert completed his fifty in style by smacking off-spinner Mohammad Nabi for two successive sixes and followed it with a boundary before he was caught at deep square leg.
Mark Chapman (28 off 17 balls) and Daryl Mitchell (25 not out) then accelerated to get Black Caps home in the team's first game of the tournament.
Earlier, Naib struck four sixes and three boundaries and laid a platform for Afghanistan’s strong finish with a 79-run partnership with Sediqullah Atal (29).
Express bowler Lockie Ferguson (2-40) had struck twice when he was introduced in the last over of the power play and removed both openers, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (27) and Ibrahim Zadran (10).
Naib took his time, scoring 14 off 16 balls but needed only another 13 deliveries to raise his half-century as New Zealand struggled with its fifth bowler. James Neesham conceded 33 off his three overs while part-time spinners Phillips and Ravindra gave away 26 off their two overs.
England won the toss and elected to bat in its opening Group C match against Nepal at Mumbai while later Sunday co-host Sri Lanka is scheduled to meet Ireland in a Group B game at Colombo.
The T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, began on Saturday with victories for Pakistan, India and the West Indies.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
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