Rashid, Farooqi, and Gurbaz Shine as Afghanistan Crush New Zealand
Afghanistan 159 for 6 (Gurbaz 80, Ibrahim 44, Boult 2-22, Henry 2-37) beat New Zealand 75 (Phillips 18, Rashid 4-17, Farooqi 4-17) by 84 runs
New Zealand crumbled to 75 in their chase of 160, as Afghanistan secured a commanding 84-run victory in Providence, marking their second consecutive win. This triumph propels Afghanistan to the top of Group C with a net run rate of 5.225, following their earlier 125-run win over Uganda.
Opting to bat first, Afghanistan's innings was anchored by Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, who forged a solid 103-run partnership in 14.3 overs. This followed their 154-run stand against Uganda, making them the first opening pair to record two consecutive century stands in T20 World Cup history.
Afghanistan's innings was a tale of two halves. They managed 55 for no loss in the first ten overs and added 104 for 6 in the latter ten, with Gurbaz scoring 80 off 56 balls. New Zealand's lack of warm-up games was evident, as their fielders missed crucial catches and run-out opportunities.
With a pitch favoring both seamers and spinners, New Zealand's chase of 160 was always going to be challenging. However, few anticipated such a dramatic collapse.
Fazalhaq Farooqi struck early, claiming three wickets in the powerplay, followed by Rashid Khan, who took three more just after it. Both finished with identical figures of 4 for 17, as New Zealand were bowled out for 75 in 15.2 overs. Only Glenn Phillips and Matt Henry reached double digits for New Zealand.
Afghanistan's Shaky Star
Trent Boult found some early swing, but Gurbaz and Ibrahim countered with three fours off Matt Henry. Both batters had their share of luck. Gurbaz survived a scare when a ball brushed his leg stump without dislodging the bails, and Ibrahim was dropped by Finn Allen at the boundary. Additionally, Gurbaz narrowly escaped a run-out chance due to a fumbled throw by Tom Latham.
Ibrahim overturned an lbw decision off Mitchell Santner on review, and immediately after, he hit Santner for an inside-out four, leading Afghanistan to 44 for no loss at the end of the powerplay.
Bracewell and Ferguson Apply Pressure
Michael Bracewell and Lockie Ferguson tightened the screws on Afghanistan, with Bracewell conceding only six runs in his first two overs and Ferguson allowing just five. A leaping Kane Williamson missed a tough catch off Ibrahim, leaving Afghanistan at 55 for no loss after ten overs.
Acceleration in the Middle Overs
Afghanistan shifted gears after the first ten overs, hitting five sixes in the next three. Gurbaz and Zadran pushed the total past 100 in the 14th over before Zadran fell to Henry, having bottom-edged a short ball onto his stumps.
Azmatullah Omarzai contributed 22 off 13, including two sixes off Henry. Although Mohammad Nabi was dismissed for a first-ball duck, Gurbaz kept the scoreboard ticking. However, Boult's final over, where he took three wickets for three runs, restricted Afghanistan to 159.
Farooqi Rocks New Zealand Early
Farooqi gave Afghanistan a perfect start, uprooting Finn Allen's leg stump with the first ball of the innings. He then dismissed Devon Conway, who was caught at extra cover, and Daryl Mitchell, who edged to the keeper, leaving New Zealand at 28 for 3.
Rashid Khan Takes Over
Rashid Khan dismissed Kane Williamson with his first delivery post-powerplay, and followed it up by taking out Mark Chapman and Bracewell in successive balls. Chapman was bowled trying to pull, and Bracewell was lbw, leaving New Zealand reeling at 43 for 6.
Glenn Phillips offered some resistance with a couple of boundaries but was soon caught at long-on off Nabi, extinguishing any hopes of a New Zealand comeback.
Match Summary:
Afghanistan: 159 for 6 in 20 overs (Gurbaz 80, Ibrahim 44, Boult 2-22, Henry 2-37)
New Zealand:75 all out in 15.2 overs (Phillips 18, Rashid 4-17, Farooqi 4-17)
Result:Afghanistan won by 84 runs
Afghanistan now stands atop Group C, showcasing their prowess and solidifying their Super Eight chances with an impressive performance against New Zealand.
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