NZ vs AFG Match 4 Results

9:33 AM IST Turning the Page - That brings us to the end of this game, where New Zealand avenge their defeat from the 2024 T20 World Cup and put Afghanistan under early pressure in Group D. The action now shifts to Group C, where England take on Nepal at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The toss has already taken place, with England set to bat first, and with the match starting shortly, you can switch tabs to enjoy all the coverage of the match. Cheers!

9:31 AM IST Naib sparks Afghan surge - Earlier in the game, Afghanistan put up a strong total on the board, courtesy of a career-best in T20Is from Gulbadin Naib, who smashed 63 off 35. He was well supported by Atal as the pair added a crucial 79-run stand in the middle to set the platform, before Rasool and Omarzai provided the finishing touches. For New Zealand, Henry was the pick of the bowlers, picking up a wicket and keeping things tight, while Duffy, Ferguson and Ravindra also chipped in with wickets but were on the expensive side. Santner, though, bowled a very economical spell, conceding just 23 runs in his four overs, or else they would have been chasing something even bigger.

9:28 AM IST Kiwis rewrite the script - New Zealand are up and running in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, pulling off their highest successful chase in T20 World Cups. From losing by 84 runs to Afghanistan in the last edition to producing this complete performance, the Kiwis have come a long way. Afghanistan, though, will need to buckle up quickly, as gaining momentum is very essential in this tournament.

9:27 AM IST A strong start that slipped away - Afghanistan started brightly with the ball, with Mujeeb setting the tone by picking up two wickets in his first over. However, they could not build on that and allowed a big partnership to develop. Rashid did manage to break it, but by then the damage was already done. Azmatullah Omarzai and Nabi also got among the wickets, but apart from Mujeeb, no other bowler could contain the runs. Rashid dropping Seifert on 48 also proved costly, as who knows, that could have made the game a lot closer.

9:25 AM IST The captain of Afghanistan - Rashid Khan says that he is disappointed with the defeat. Adds that they put up a good total on the board, but they did not bowl well, and leaked too many runs in the middle overs. Mentions that they will have to learn quickly and execute better in the next games. Says that bowling wicket to wicket was the way to go, but they were inconsistent with their lines and lengths. Praises the batting unit for their effort in this game, but also says that they can improve in the first six overs with the bat.