New Zealand kicked off their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a five-wicket triumph over Afghanistan at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday (Feb 8). The Kiwis successfully chased down a target of 183, riding on opener Tim Seifert’s match-winning knock of 65 runs off 42 deliveries, studded with seven boundaries and three maximums.
Glenn Phillips played a crucial supporting role with a brisk 42 from 25 balls, while Daryl Mitchell remained unbeaten on 25 off 14 deliveries to help New Zealand complete the chase comfortably.
Afghanistan’s bowling attack was spearheaded by Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who claimed two wickets for 31 runs. Azmatullah Omarzai (1/40), Rashid Khan (1/36) and Mohammad Nabi (1/18) grabbed one wicket apiece.
After winning the toss, Afghanistan elected to bat first and put up a competitive total of 182 for six in their allotted 20 overs. Gulbadin Naib was the standout performer with the bat, smashing 63 off 35 balls with three fours and four sixes. Sediqullah Atal contributed 29, Rahmanullah Gurbaz added 27, and Darwish Rasooli chipped in with 20.
For New Zealand, Lockie Ferguson was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets for 40 runs. Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy and Rachin Ravindra picked up one wicket each.
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The chase got off to a shaky start for New Zealand as Finn Allen and Rachin Ravindra fell early. However, Seifert anchored the innings and received solid backing from Phillips. Their fourth-wicket stand shifted the momentum in New Zealand’s favour, before Mitchell and Santner applied the finishing touches with quick scoring.
The victory sees New Zealand climb the points table, and they will aim to maintain this winning momentum in their remaining T20 World Cup 2026 fixtures.
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