Afghanistan Stuns New Zealand with Commanding Victory in T20 World Cup
Georgetown: Demonstrating resilience and skill, Afghanistan delivered a stunning performance to defeat New Zealand by 84 runs, bolstering their chances for a Super Eight berth in the T20 World Cup. Captain Rashid Khan and left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi led the charge with exceptional bowling displays.
Chasing a target of 160 at Providence Stadium, New Zealand, the 2021 runners-up, were bowled out for a meager 75 in just 15.2 overs. Glenn Phillips (18) and Matt Henry (12) were the only batsmen to reach double figures.
New Zealand’s decision to bowl after winning the toss proved costly. Afghanistan’s openers, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, set a solid foundation. Gurbaz scored a brilliant 84 off 56 balls, while Zadran added 44 off 41, helping Afghanistan post a total of 159/6 in the low-scoring tournament. Gurbaz was rightly awarded Player of the Match.
Afghanistan’s victory is reminiscent of their 2016 upset win against West Indies in Nagpur. Farooqi, who recently took five wickets for nine runs against Uganda, delivered another stellar performance with figures of 4/17 from 3.2 overs, including the match-winning dismissal. Rashid Khan was equally effective, claiming 4/17 off his four overs, including the crucial wicket of New Zealand captain Kane Williamson.
This win brings Afghanistan to four points from two matches, having previously defeated Uganda by 125 runs. The West Indies and Uganda occupy the next two positions, while Papua New Guinea and New Zealand are yet to score.
Afghanistan will next face Papua New Guinea on Friday, while New Zealand will play co-hosts West Indies on Thursday.
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan praised his team’s effort, stating, “One of the greatest performances from us in T20I cricket against a big team. The way Ibrahim and Gurbaz started again… The wicket was not easy. They did not throw away their wickets. Great win for Afghanistan and it is a privilege to be leading this side and winning against New Zealand.”
Williamson acknowledged Afghanistan’s superiority, saying, “To get a total like that on a fiddly surface, they kept wickets in hand and played it beautifully. Not good enough from us. Quick turnaround, we have to regroup quickly and onto the next challenge.”
Farooqi initiated New Zealand’s collapse with a devastating opening spell, dismissing opener Finn Allen for a golden duck with his first ball and removing the dangerous Devon Conway in his next over. Farooqi ended his spell with figures of 3-0-17-3, also taking the wicket of Daryl Mitchell.
Rashid Khan continued the assault post-powerplay, removing Williamson for 9 with his first delivery. Rashid’s further wickets included Mark Chapman and Michael Bracewell, reducing New Zealand to 43/5 in nine overs. Nabi added to New Zealand’s woes by dismissing Phillips for 18, marking the first time New Zealand lost seven wickets within the first seven overs of a T20 World Cup match.
Earlier, New Zealand’s decision to field under overcast conditions backfired as Afghanistan’s openers took advantage of fielding lapses. Despite missed chances, Gurbaz and Zadran built a solid partnership, adding 103 runs in 14.3 overs. Gurbaz’s fifty and a quick cameo from Azmatullah Omarzai (22 off 13) further strengthened Afghanistan’s innings.
New Zealand’s fielding was lackluster, with early missed opportunities, including a stumping, a fumbled run-out by Devon Conway, and a dropped catch by Finn Allen. Afghanistan capitalized on these lapses, racing to 44/0 inside the powerplay and reaching 55/0 at the halfway mark.
Gurbaz’s impressive performance, alongside Zadran’s steady innings and Omarzai’s quickfire runs, set a challenging target that New Zealand failed to chase, resulting in a remarkable victory for Afghanistan.
