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- New Zealand vs Afghanistan highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: Tim Seifert shines as New Zealand beat Afghanistan by five wickets in Chennai
New Zealand vs Afghanistan highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: Tim Seifert shines as New Zealand beat Afghanistan by five wickets in Chennai
Afghanistan had posted a challenging 182-6, with Gulbadin Naib leading the charge with 63 off 35 balls. Sediqullah Atal chipped in with 29 off 24, while Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Darwish Rasooli offered valuable contributions. The innings included a mix of aggressive stroke play and patient accumulation, with extras adding nine runs. Lockie Ferguson (2-40) and Rachin Ravindra (1-14) picked key wickets, but Afghanistan managed to set a strong target after losing the top order early.
Chasing 183, New Zealand started shakily. Finn Allen and Rachin Ravindra fell cheaply to Mujeeb Ur Rahman, leaving the Kiwis reeling at 14-2 inside two overs. Seifert, however, launched a counterattack in the powerplay alongside Glenn Phillips (42 off 25), and their 74-run partnership stabilised the chase. Mark Chapman (28 off 17) and Daryl Mitchell (25*) kept the momentum going in the middle overs.
Seifert’s ability to find boundaries consistently under pressure, including seven fours and three sixes, ensured New Zealand never lost control. Despite Rashid Khan and Azmatullah Omarzai striking with key wickets, New Zealand reached 183-5 in 17.5 overs, sealing a memorable win.
The victory not only gave New Zealand two crucial points but also highlighted their ability to chase big totals in high-pressure T20 World Cup scenarios. Afghanistan, who had beaten New Zealand in 2024, were left rueing their inability to break the Seifert-Phillips partnership. For the Kiwis, it was a complete team effort, with bowlers setting up the target and the top order delivering when it mattered most.
- Glenn Phillips 18 (14)
- Tim Seifert 31 (19)
Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Glenn Phillips, Fired into the batter, on his pads. Glenn Phillips tucks it to short fine leg.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Glenn Phillips, FOUR! Fifty comes up for New Zealand. Fired around off, seam up from Mujeeb. Glenn Phillips stands leg side to it and smashes this over the fielder at the extra cover region for a boundary.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Glenn Phillips, Floated around off, Glenn Phillips pushes this to covers for no run.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Glenn Phillips, Quicker one, on off, Glenn Phillips keeps it out.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Glenn Phillips, FOUR! That is poor from Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Glenn Phillips makes him pay. Darted onto the pads, Glenn Phillips rocks back and flicks this past the fielder at short fine leg to his left for four runs.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Glenn Phillips, Floated around off, Glenn Phillips pokes at it but gets beaten.
- Tim Seifert 31 (19)
- Glenn Phillips 10 (8)
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Tim Seifert, A low full toss, on off, Tim Seifert drills it straight towards mid off. He is not happy with himself as this was there to be put away.
IS THAT OUT? A direct hit from Ibrahim Zadran towards the striker's end. Replay shows that Tim Seifert is back inside the crease safely.
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Tim Seifert, SAFE! On a length and on middle and leg, Tim Seifert tucks it with soft hands through mid-wicket and calls for the second run. Ibrahim Zadran is quick to get to the ball and scores a direct hit at the batter's end. However, Seifert does not look that botherd and the replay confirms that he has dragged his bat inside the crease in time.
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Tim Seifert, SIX! Even better and bigger! This is a full delivery, on middle and off, slower in pace. Tim Seifert clears his front leg out of the way and launches it over the long on fence for a biggie.
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Tim Seifert, FOUR! Top shot! Fazalhaq Farooqi sees the batter advance and bangs this into the pitch, on middle. Tim Seifert adjusts well to the length, gets on top of it and pulls it away to the deep mid-wicket fence for a boundary.
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Tim Seifert, Back of a length and on middle, angling in, slower too, Tim Seifert keeps it out on the pitch.
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Glenn Phillips, Good length and on off, Glenn Phillips taps it in front of mid off and scampers across for a single.
- Tim Seifert 19 (14)
- Glenn Phillips 9 (7)
Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Tim Seifert, Pushed through quicker, shorter and on middle and leg, skids through as well. Tim Seifert stays back to work it away but once again gets hit on the pads.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Tim Seifert, Fires this one full and on leg, Tim Seifert looks to clip it away but misses as the ball deflects off his pads to square leg.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Glenn Phillips, Shortish and on middle and leg, Glenn Phillips nudges it to mid-wicket for a single.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Glenn Phillips, FOUR! Beats the fielder this time! Mujeeb Ur Rahman bowls the googly, but just drifting down the leg side. Glenn Phillips goes down and paddles it away past short fine for an easy boundary.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Glenn Phillips, Flatter, short and around leg, Glenn Phillips tries to heave it away but misses as the ball lobs up off his pads and rolls to short fine.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Tim Seifert, Shorter in length, on off, Tim Seifert pats it down to long on for a single.
- Glenn Phillips 4 (4)
- Tim Seifert 18 (11)
Azmatullah Omarzai to Glenn Phillips, Goes back to his fuller length, on middle, shaping in, Glenn Phillips fends it off the inner half of the bat to mid-wicket.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Glenn Phillips, FOUR! Put away! Azmatullah Omarzai bangs this into the pitch but angling into the leg side. Glenn Phillips just helps it on its way behind square on the leg side for another boundary.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Glenn Phillips, WIDE! Fullish but down the leg again, Glenn Phillips tries to flick but misses. Rahmanullah Gurbaz grabs it behind the stumps and appeals but it is turned down. Wided again.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Tim Seifert, Fuller and on middle, angling in, Tim Seifert drills it wide of long on for a single. He wants the second run but is sent back.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Tim Seifert, Short of a length and on off, Tim Seifert dabs it down to point.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Tim Seifert, WIDE! Fuller but down the leg side, Tim Seifert fails to glance it away. Called a wide.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Tim Seifert, FOUR! Gets it away! Back of a length and on middle, angling in. Tim Seifert gets a bit cramped up but manages to heave it away to the deep square leg fence. The fielder from deep fine runs to his left and dives but fails to stop the boundary.
Azmatullah Omarzai replaces Fazalhaq Farooqi in the attack.
Azmatullah Omarzai to Tim Seifert, Fuller and on off, Tim Seifert drills it to mid off.
- Glenn Phillips 0 (2)
- Tim Seifert 13 (7)
Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Glenn Phillips, Bowls this flatter, short and just outside off, Glenn Phillips looks to cut it away but misses. Just 2 runs and 2 big wickets from the over, superb stuff from Mujeeb.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Glenn Phillips, Almost a hat-trick! Tossed up, full and on middle, turns in. Glenn Phillips looks to push it away but gets an inside edge onto his pads. It lobs up but there is no short leg to grab it.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman is on a hat-trick. A golden duck for Rachin and Glenn Phillips replaces him.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Rachin Ravindra, OUT! TIMBER! Oh..wow. That is an absolute beauty, and no one can catch Mujeeb Ur Rahman as he is off running in celebration. This is the seam-up ball, full and on middle, just straightens a bit instead of angling in. Rachin Ravindra prods forward to defend but plays down the wrong line and gets hurried too. He leaves enough gap between bat and pad for the ball to go through and shatter the stumps. A golden duck for Rachin, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman is on a hat-trick now.
Finn Allen is gone and Rachin Ravindra replaces him out in the middle.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Finn Allen, OUT! BOWLED'EM! Mujeeb Ur Rahman draws first blood and gets rid of the dangerous Finn Allen. This is pushed through quicker, shortish and on middle, skids through and angles in a bit. Allen rocks back for the pull but this is not that short and he gets rushed, too. The ball goes through and rattles the stumps behind. Allen falls cheaply, and New Zealand are 14/1, chasing 183 runs.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Tim Seifert, Floated, full and on middle and leg, angling in, Tim Seifert eases it to long on for a run.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Finn Allen, Mujeeb Ur Rahman begins with a flatter delivery, short and on middle, Finn Allen punches it to long on for a single.
Choosing to bat first, the Afghans found the going anything but smooth against a disciplined set of Kiwis bowlers.
Naib (63, 35 balls) and Sediqullah Atal (29, 24b) added 79 runs off 51 balls for the third wicket but the general sense was that of labour on a pitch that had a hint of slowness.
It reflected in Afghanistan’s scoring pattern — steady rather than flashy: 44/2 in Power Play, 77/2 after 10 overs and 130/3 after 15 overs.
The last five overs produced further 52 runs, but ideally the Afghans would have wanted a few more on the board.
Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz (27, 22b) looked in fine fettle, and even played a couple of typical scoops, but a slower delivery from pacer Lockie Ferguson disturbed his furniture in the sixth over.
In the same over, Ferguson, who used leg-cutters to good effect in this innings, jettisoned opener Ibrahim Zadran as Afghanistan found it tough to get off the blocks.
Naib, who brought up his fifty in 29 balls, played a forceful innings, tonking pacer Jacob Duffy for two sixes and a four as Afghanistan seemed to have found some move-on in the middle overs.
Atal played a good supporting role, but could not force the pace on his own and his stay was curtailed by Duffy.
But his dismissal came as a blessing in disguise as Naib and Darwish Rasooli (20, 13b) added 33 in 17 balls as Afghanistan crossed the 150-run mark.
However, Naib fell to part-time spin of Rachin Ravindra in the 18th over as Afghanistan could not get a desired death over flourish. Azmatullah Omarzai hit a couple of sixes to push his side past the 180-run mark.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman has been handed the ball by Rashid Khan to bowl from the other end.
- Tim Seifert 12 (6)
- Finn Allen 0 (0)
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Tim Seifert, FOUR! No chance for Rashid Khan this time! Pitched up and around off, Tim Seifert backs away, stays leg side of the ball and thumps it to the left and well over mid off for four more runs. 12 runs from the first over.
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Tim Seifert, Good length and on middle, nips back in, Tim Seifert gets cramped up and keeps it out on the pitch.
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Tim Seifert, FOUR MORE! Good shot! Short of a length and just around off. Tim Seifert uses the width on offer and cuts it away. He times it so well that the fielder at deep backward point has no chance of stopping that from going to the fence.
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Tim Seifert, FOUR! Just wide! Fazalhaq Farooqi serves this fuller and on off, Tim Seifert lofts it wide of mid off and just gets enough elevation on this one. Rashid Khan flings himself to his right and tries to grab it with his outstretched right hand but the ball evades him and races away to the fence for a boundary. The Kiwis are underway in the chase.
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Tim Seifert, Another yorker, on middle and off, Tim Seifert jams it out to the leg side.
Pace: 4/130 in 14 overs (ER 9.28)
Spin: 1/49 in 6 overs (ER 8.16)
Highest totals for AFG in T20 WC
190/4 vs SCO, Sharjah, 2021
186/6 vs ZIM,Napur, 2016
183/5 vs UGA,Providence, 2024
182/6 vs NZ, Chennai, 2026*
AFG’s innings of two halves
First 10 overs: 72/2, RR: 7.2
Next 10 overs: 110/4, RR: 11.0
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Tim Seifert, Right on the money! Fazalhaq Farooqi starts with a yorker, on off, swinging in, Tim Seifert gets his bat down to dig it out.
I was just waiting for a long time for this moment (on his fifty). I worked hard, the management had trust in me and gave me the chance (to bat at 3). I went with a positive intent, went in with a clear mindset. It wasn't easy, you can't force the ball off the pitch when there's no pace, it wasn't an easy wicket to bat. Was a two-paced wicket, you can't plan for any bowler, have to be clear with your plans and be very positive. With our bowling, I'm confident about defending the score, but we'll have to give our 100%.
We are back for the chase! Rashid Khan is leading his Afghan troops out in the middle now. Finn Allen and Tim Seifert are the two explosive openers for New Zealand. Fazalhaq Farooqi to start proceedings with the ball. Here we go...
... THE RUN CHASE ...
Spin threat looms for the Kiwi chase - Rashid Khan will lead his side onto the field with plenty of confidence, knowing a total over 180 is a daunting target on a surface that has offered assistance to the bowlers. The Kiwis face an uphill battle against an Afghanistan squad renowned for its world-class spin department, which is expected to thrive on this deck, which is expected to get drier as the sun beats on it. New Zealand's top order will need to navigate the Powerplay flawlessly to minimize the risk-taking threat over the Afghan spin-twins. We will be back with the chase.
Naib’s masterclass - Gulbadin Naib emerged as the protagonist of the Afghan innings, top-scoring with a commanding 63 to push the total toward competitive territory. Following Atal's departure, Darwish Rasooli maintained the scoring rate with a brisk cameo of 20, ensuring the platform wasn't wasted. While the New Zealand attack showed flashes of brilliance with Lockie Ferguson claiming two wickets and Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, and Rachin Ravindra picking up one apiece, they struggled to contain the scoring in the middle stage, allowing Afghanistan to finish on a formidable 182.
Afghanistan had posted 182-6 in 20 overs, led by Gulbadin Naib’s 63 off 35 balls. Sediqullah Atal (29) and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (27) provided support, but extras helped the visitors post a challenging target. Lockie Ferguson (2-40) and Rachin Ravindra (1-14) picked up wickets, keeping New Zealand on edge.
New Zealand’s chase began with early setbacks as Finn Allen and Rachin Ravindra fell to Mujeeb Ur Rahman inside two overs. Seifert, however, countered with a composed and aggressive innings, building a 74-run partnership with Glenn Phillips (42 off 25) that steadied the chase. Mark Chapman (28) and Daryl Mitchell (25*) ensured the chase stayed on track.
Despite wickets from Rashid Khan and Azmatullah Omarzai, New Zealand reached 183-5 in 17.5 overs, completing their highest T20 World Cup successful chase.
The win was a complete team effort, with the bowlers setting up a defendable target and the top order delivering under pressure. For Afghanistan, it was a missed opportunity to continue their 2024 dominance over New Zealand, but Seifert’s brilliance proved decisive.
Match Statistics
Venue
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
