NZ down Afghanistan to complete highest successful T20 WC chase

New Zealand rewrote a piece of World Cup history in Chennai, chasing down Afghanistan's 182 for 6 to complete their highest successful run chase in T20 World Cups. It was also the highest target successfully chased against Afghanistan in T20Is.

On a Chepauk surface that offered grip for slower balls and bounce for the seamers, the target looked strong enough to test even New Zealand's deep batting line-up, particularly with Afghanistan having never lost a T20I after posting 180 or more. And the goalpost for NZ looked farther away when Mujeeb Ur Rahman struck twice in his opening over. Finn Allen was beaten for pace while Rachin Ravindra played all around a seam-up swinging delivery next ball, leaving New Zealand two down inside the first two overs.

Tim Seifert responded with a counterattacking innings that would leave Afghanistan searching for answers. The in-form opener, also New Zealand's most prolific batter in this World Cup cycle, took on the seamers in the PowerPlay and then played Mujeeb with a straight bat, denying Afghanistan further inroads. Glenn Phillips supported him in a quick half-century partnership that stabilised the innings and ensured the required rate never drifted out of reach.

Rashid Khan was introduced immediately after the PowerPlay but struggled to find control. Phillips took him on with a six straight down the ground and although the veteran spinner eventually struck back in his second over by bowling Phillips with a full delivery, the 74-run stand, which came off just 46 balls, had already swung momentum firmly New Zealand's way.

Seifert, who was dropped on 48 by Rashid off his own bowling, got to his fifty off 39 balls, reaching the milestone with a flat six against Mohammad Nabi. He pinched another maximum and a four in the same over before holing out in the deep in the same over.

Mark Chapman then played a crucial role in keeping the chase on track. Comfortable against both Rashid and Mujeeb, he rotated the strike efficiently and punished loose deliveries, and although Seifert eventually fell for a superb 65 while attempting to finish the game early, New Zealand were firmly in control by that stage, needing a further 59 from 43 balls.

Daryl Mitchell and Mitchell Santner completed the chase without further alarm, taking on the seamers at the death and sealing victory with 13 balls to spare. Rashid Khan went for 36 in his four overs while Nabi bowled his only over for 18 runs, hit out of the attack by Seifert.

Earlier, Afghanistan had built their total through a strong second half of the innings. New Zealand's seamers bowled with discipline in the PowerPlay, with Lockie Ferguson striking twice in the sixth over, his first, to remove both openers. Ibrahim Zadran sliced a loose cut straight to point whereas Rahmanullah Gurbaz was undone by a slower ball that cut back and chopped onto the stumps.

At 72 for 2 after ten overs, Afghanistan were in need of acceleration and it came through Gulbadin Naib, who was promoted to No. 3. Naib hit 3 fours and 4 sixes, pinching crucial runs off Jimmy Neesham, Phillips and Ravindra, and adding 79 runs off 51 balls with Sediqullah Atal for the third wicket.

Though Atal was dismissed after top-edging a slower ball from Jacob Duffy, Naib continued on to a well-compiled fifty off 30 balls. He eventually fell to Ravindra, top-edging a slog back to the keeper.

The late surge came in the final overs, with Darwish Rasooli chipping in briefly for 20 off 13 before falling to a slower ball from Matt Henry. Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi provided late impetus, hitting three sixes between them to take Afghanistan to 182, a total that looked par but wasn't enough to stop New Zealand from getting two crucial points, in what's a difficult group also featuring South Africa.

Brief Scores: Afghanistan 182/6 (Naib 63; Ferguson 2-40) lost to NZ 183/5 in 17.5 overs (Seifert 65; Mujeeb 2-31) by 5 wickets