Afghanistan upset New Zealand by 84 runs in Guyana. They successfully made two wins from two in the T20 World Cup. Rahmanullah Gurbaz top-scored with 80 from 56 deliveries to lead Afghanistan to 159-6. His fellow opener Ibrahim Zadran also added 44 from 41.
In reply, 2021 runners-up New Zealand were bowled out for 75 in 15.2 overs. But New Zealand suffered their first T20 international defeat against Afghanistan.
“It’s a great feeling to be leading this side,” said AFG skipper Rashid Khan. “Today’s match was one of our best performances in T20s against a big team like New Zealand.”
Afghanistan’s Pacers Silenced New Zealand
Left-arm seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi took 4-17 from 3.2 overs for Afghanistan. While skipper Rashid also took 4-17. Only two New Zealand players reached double figures, with Glenn Phillips scoring the most (18).
Afghanistan now leads Group C, with New Zealand trailing behind Papua New Guinea in terms of net run rate.
“We were waiting for this match for the last three years,” Gurbaz stated. “We played with New Zealand in the World Cup three years ago and they beat us. We finally defeat them. We had trusted in ourselves from the beginning.
“We believe we will defeat any team in this tournament on this surface,” Afghanistan’s bowler said.
Bangladesh started their competition with a two-wicket victory over Sri Lanka, who dropped to the bottom of Group D after losing for the second time in a row. Pathum Nissanka top-scored with 47 off 48 balls to help Sri Lanka reach 124-9 in 20 overs in Dallas.
Bangladesh fell to 28-3 in reply. But Towhid Hridoy smashed 40 from only 20 deliveries. And Litton Das added 36 from 38 to help the Tigers win.
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Afghanistan Secures Another Big Victory
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Afghanistan has already won its opening two matches by 125 and 84 runs. This put them on the top of the group list. The opening combination of Gurbaz and Zadran once again set the tone. They scored 103 for the first wicket. They became the first opening duo to record successive century partnerships in a men’s T20 World Cup. Both shared 154 in their victory over Uganda last time.
Afghanistan’s in-form Farooqi then dismissed opener Finn Allen with the first ball. Undoubtedly, the Black Caps’ innings collapsed from there.
“This wasn’t good enough to start a competition. “It is extremely frustrating,” said New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson. “We have to move on quickly from this because the matches now come thick and fast for us.”
New Zealand entered the T20 WC as one of the favorites. They have reached at least the quarterfinals in the previous six white-ball World Cups (50-over one-day internationals and Twenty20 matches). But now New Zealand’s first match showed the majority of its players remained idle for some time. That was evident on the field when their performance included lost receptions, overthrows, and misfields.
New Zealand will play a potentially vital match against the West Indies in Trinidad on Wednesday. Whereas, Afghanistan will face Papua New Guinea on Thursday. The next game for the Kiwis is the most important as it is a do-or-die situation for them.
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About the Author
Zartash Zulfiqar is a passionate cricket writer whose love for cricket shines through in every word. From match analyses to player profiles, she delivers insightful commentary that resonates with fans worldwide. Stay tuned for the latest from the world of cricket, brought to you by Zartash.
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