What a way to kick off! New Zealand kicked their 2026 T20 World Cup journey into top gear with a solid five-wicket win over Afghanistan in their Group D opener at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Chasing 183, the Black Caps pulled off their highest successful run chase ever in T20 World Cup history – and they did it with 13 balls left to spare.
Early Trouble for Kiwis
Things looked shaky right from the start. In just the second over, Afghanistan’s spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman struck twice – Finn Allen gone for 1 and Rachin Ravindra out for a duck. At 14/2, memories of that tough 2024 loss to Afghanistan came rushing back. But this time, New Zealand had a plan.
New Zealand v Afghanistan Match Highlights
Seifert and Phillips Turn It Around
Enter Tim Seifert and Glenn Phillips. Seifert, the man they call “Bam Bam,” exploded with a brilliant 65 off 42 balls – seven fours and three massive sixes. Phillips matched the energy with a quick 42 off 25. Their 74-run partnership for the third wicket completely broke Afghanistan’s spin grip and pushed Rashid Khan to spread the field.
Later, when Seifert and Mark Chapman fell, Daryl Mitchell (25*) and captain Mitchell Santner (17*) stayed calm and finished the job. Mitchell hit the winning run in the 18th over. Pure class under pressure.
Afghanistan’s Fight with Bat
Earlier, Rashid Khan won the toss and chose to bat. Lockie Ferguson rocked them early – he removed openers Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the same over (2/32 overall). But Afghanistan bounced back strong.
Gulbadin Naib played the knock of his career – a fiery 63 off 35 balls. Sediqullah Atal added 29. Together they took Afghanistan to a fighting 182/6. On the slow Chennai pitch, that looked like a winning score… until New Zealand showed up.
New Zealand v Afghanistan Match Highlights – Quick Summary
| Team | Score | Top Performer |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 182/6 (20 overs) | Gulbadin Naib – 63 |
| New Zealand | 183/5 (17.5 overs) | Tim Seifert – 65 (Player of the Match) |
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Tim Seifert earned the Player of the Match award for his game-changing knock. New Zealand now sits pretty in Group D after this statement win.
What a start for the Black Caps! Do you think they can go all the way this time? Share your thoughts below – let’s talk about these New Zealand v Afghanistan Match Highlights T20 World Cup 2026!
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