New Zealand vs Afghanistan highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: Tim Seifert shines as New Zealand beat Afghanistan by five wickets in Chennai

Afghan openers stumble, middle order steady - Afghanistan have posted 182 for 6 thanks to a solid hand from Gulbadin Naib. The decision to bat first looked shaky early on as New Zealand's pace attack exploited the early movement. Openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran struggled to find their rhythm, leaving Afghanistan at a cautious 44/2 by the end of the Powerplay. However, the momentum shifted decisively when Gulbadin Naib was joined by Sediqullah Atal. The pair anchored the innings with a vital 79-run partnership for the third wicket, successfully weathering the storm and laying a resilient foundation for the back end of the innings.

Lockie Ferguson to Mohammad Nabi, OUT! OMARZAI IS RUN OUT! Lockie Ferguson hits the length hard and outside off, Mohammad Nabi punches it towards sweeper cover and turns around for the second run, which they had to as this is the last ball of the innings. James Neesham is quick to collect the ball and throws it at the bowler's end, where Ferguson grabs it and breaks the stumps, with Azmatullah Omarzai trying to drag his bat inside the crease. The smart replays confirm that he is short of his crease. Afghanistan finish on 182/6!

Lockie Ferguson to Mohammad Nabi, Excellent bowling! A bouncer now, on off, takes pace off again. Mohammad Nabi swings for the hills, but goes through it decades early and misses it.

Lockie Ferguson to Azmatullah Omarzai, Lockie Ferguson comes around the wicket, bowls this full and on leg, Azmatullah Omarzai has a hoick across the line but goes through it early due to the lack of pace. It deflects off his pads towards point. A leg bye taken.

Lockie Ferguson to Mohammad Nabi, Hard length and around off, Mohammad Nabi slaps it wide of mid off for a single.

Lockie Ferguson to Mohammad Nabi, A slower wide yorker, outside off, Mohammad Nabi leaves it thinking it will be a wide, but it is inside the guideline.

Lockie Ferguson to Mohammad Nabi, SIX! Mohammad Nabi gets into the act now! Lockie Ferguson misses the yorker, serves this full, on middle and leg. Nabi gets his front leg out of the way and smokes it over the wide long on fence for another biggie.

Will it be the spin of Rachin Ravindra to finish or the pace of Lockie Ferguson? Mitchell Santner has asked his front-line pacer, Lockie Ferguson, to end this inning with the ball. New Zealand's highest successful run chase in T20 World Cup is 167. 

Matt Henry to Azmatullah Omarzai, SIX! That is a shot and a half! Matt Henry goes short and just outside off. Azmatullah Omarzai backs away, uses the width on offer and muscles it over the deep extra cover fence for a biggie. 

Matt Henry to Mohammad Nabi, Uppish but safe! Fuller delivery, outside off, takes pace off. Mohammad Nabi backs away and just throws his hands at it. He ends up spooning it in the air but it lands safely in the vacant point region. They cross.

Matt Henry to Azmatullah Omarzai, Back of a length and on middle, Azmatullah Omarzai heaves it off the inner half of the bat to deep square leg for a run.

Matt Henry to Azmatullah Omarzai, Bangs in a slower bouncer, on middle, Azmatullah Omarzai winds up for the pull but leaves it in the end. He has a look at the square leg umpire, who only signals one for the over.

Matt Henry to Mohammad Nabi, Fuller and on middle, angling in, Mohammad Nabi tucks it towards mid-wicket for a single.

Mohammad Nabi walks out to replace Darwish Rasooli in the 19th over. 

Matt Henry to Darwish Rasooli, OUT! TAKEN IN THE DEEP! Matt Henry strikes now, and this is exactly what New Zealand wanted at this time. This is short of a length and around middle, Darwish Rasooli looks to take it on and goes for the pull. However, the ball just gets big on him and he fails to get the elevation. It flies flat and straight to deep mid-wicket, where Glenn Phillips takes a good catch. Rasooli walks back for a quick 20 off 13, and the Afghans lose half their side now.

Rachin Ravindra to Azmatullah Omarzai, SIX! Clean strike! Rachin Ravindra bowls this a bit quicker and shorter, on off. Azmatullah Omarzai stands tall and dispatches it with a flat-bat over the long off fence for another biggie. So, 14 runs and a wicket from Rachin's over.

Rachin Ravindra to Azmatullah Omarzai, Slower through the air, full and outside off, turns further away. Azmatullah Omarzai leaves it alone. He looks at the umpire but gets nothing.

Rachin Ravindra to Darwish Rasooli, Flighted, full and on middle, Darwish Rasooli swipes it to deep square leg for a run.

Rachin Ravindra to Azmatullah Omarzai, Short and around off, Azmatullah Omarzai punches it to sweeper cover for a single.

Rachin Ravindra to Gulbadin Naib, OUT! TAKEN! Rachin Ravindra has the last laugh, and the gamble has paid off for Mitchell Santner. Rachin drags his length back slightly, floats it up outside off. Gulbadin Naib goes down for the slog sweep but has to reach out for it a bit. He does not get hold of it as the ball takes the top edge and goes high in the air. Tim Seifert, the keeper, calls for it, moves forward and pouches it safely into his gloves. Naib departs for a fantastic 63 off 35, and Afghanistan are 156/4. Over to Azmatullah Omarzai to provide the finishing touches. 

Rachin Ravindra to Gulbadin Naib, SIX! BOOM! Rachin Ravindra gets greeted with a huge hit. He tosses it up, full and around middle. Gulbadin Naib clears his front leg away and tonks it right over the bowler's head for half a dozen. Naib moves to 63, his highest T20I career score.

Interesting ploy from Mitchell Santner. Rachin Ravindra has been called into action in the 18th over. 

Lockie Ferguson to Darwish Rasooli, FOUR! The extra ball costs Lockie Ferguson here! He goes fuller and around off, pace on this time. Darwish Rasooli backs away and extends his arms to reach out for it. He crouches a bit low and carves it over extra covers for a boundary. Holds the pose for the cameras as well. That also brings up the 150 for Afghanistan!

Lockie Ferguson to Darwish Rasooli, WIDE! Tries the slower one, but spills this full and down the leg side, Darwish Rasooli fails to flick it away. Wided.

Lockie Ferguson to Gulbadin Naib, Pitched up and on middle, Gulbadin Naib lofts it to long on for one.

Lockie Ferguson to Darwish Rasooli, Fuller and around off, Darwish Rasooli pushes it through covers for a single.

Lockie Ferguson to Darwish Rasooli, Nails the yorker, on middle, Darwish Rasooli jams it wide of the bowler. Lockie Ferguson on his follow-through dives to his left and makes a half-stop. He sees Rasooli out of his crease, and has a shy but misses. It would have been interesting if that hit the stumps.

Lockie Ferguson to Darwish Rasooli, SIX! Wow..that is massive! Lockie Ferguson bangs this into the pitch, on middle and leg. It looks like Darwish Rasooli wants to duck but goes through with the pull shot while ducking. He connects it right from the middle and the ball sails over the deep square leg fence for a biggie.

Lockie Ferguson to Darwish Rasooli, Buzzers! Hard length and on middle, angling in. Darwish Rasooli backs away and lifts it off the toe-end towards long on for a single. The throw from the deep hits the stumps at the bowler's end and deflects away, allowing the batters to get an extra run.

Mitchell Santner to Darwish Rasooli, Pushed through quicker, shortish and on middle, Darwish Rasooli forces it down to long off for one more. Mitchell Santner goes wicketless but concedes just 23 runs in his 4 overs. Very tidy from the Kiwi skipper.

Mitchell Santner to Gulbadin Naib, Flighted, full and on off, Gulbadin Naib drills it to long off for one.

Mitchell Santner to Darwish Rasooli, Shorter in length once more, on off, Darwish Rasooli backs away and cuts it through cover-point for another run.

Mitchell Santner to Gulbadin Naib, Dragged back and around off, Gulbadin Naib slaps it to sweeper cover for a run.

Mitchell Santner to Darwish Rasooli, Short again and on off, Darwish Rasooli punches it towards long off for a single.

Mitchell Santner to Darwish Rasooli, Floated, short and well outside off, Darwish Rasooli backs away and leaves it but this goes inside the tramline.

Jacob Duffy to Gulbadin Naib, FOUR! Naib gets lucky but he wouldn't mind it one bit. Short and on off, Gulbadin Naib looks to pull this flat through square leg but gets it edged over the keeper for a boundary behind the stumps. 15 runs plus a wicket from the over. 

Jacob Duffy to Darwish Rasooli, Short and on middle and leg, Darwish Rasooli hooks this to deep backward square leg for one.

Jacob Duffy to Darwish Rasooli, On a length around middle and leg, Darwish Rasooli flicks this through the mid-wicket region and scampers back for two.

A crucial breakthrough for New Zealand. Darwish Rasooli is the next man in.

Jacob Duffy to Sediqullah Atal, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! ​Sediqullah Atal departs after playing a good hand of 29 off 24 balls. Slower one, short and around off, Sediqullah Atal winds up for the pull but has to wait due to the lack of pace. He does not go through his shot fully and gets a top edge behind towards the keeper. Tim Seifert takes a couple of steps backwards and holds onto it. The 79-run stand off 51 balls has been broken now.

Jacob Duffy to Gulbadin Naib, FIFTY FOR NAIB! Good length on middle and off, Gulbadin Naib pushes this through covers for a single to bring up his half-century, off 29 balls. A promotion that has worked for the Afghans, and this has been a great knock, too, when his team needed it.

Jacob Duffy to Gulbadin Naib, WIDE! On a length wide outside off. Wided.

Jacob Duffy to Gulbadin Naib, SIX! This has been smashed over the ropes for a biggie by Naib. Back of a length around off, Gulbadin Naib stands and smashes this over the long on fence for a huge six. Moves to 49.

DRINKS! Afghanistan have recovered well after losing their openers. This stand between Sediqullah Atal and Gulbadin Naib, which is worth 71 runs now, has set up a good platform for the Afghans to launch in the remaining six overs. New Zealand have done well, but that 18-run over from James Neesham has shifted the momentum a bit, and the Kiwis will be looking for a breakthrough here to snatch back control of this game. Also, Jacob Duffy is to bowl after the break.

Mitchell Santner to Gulbadin Naib, Fired into the batter, Gulbadin Naib goes deep inside the crease and works this through mid on for one.

Mitchell Santner to Sediqullah Atal, Fired on off, Sediqullah Atal punches this down the ground to long off for a run. 

Mitchell Santner to Gulbadin Naib, Flighted wide outside off, Gulbadin Naib chips this to sweeper cover for one. 

Mitchell Santner to Sediqullah Atal, Pushed through on the pads, Sediqullah Atal smashes this to long on for a single. 

Mitchell Santner to Sediqullah Atal, Much slower around middle and leg, Sediqullah Atal looks for the sweep but gets it away off the inside edge to short fine leg.