New Zealand has created history by defeating Afghanistan by 5 wickets. In this match played at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on 8 February, the Afghan team batted first and scored 182 runs. Gulbadin Naib scored a stormy half-century for Afghanistan. In reply, New Zealand team achieved this target with 13 balls remaining. This is New Zealand’s biggest run chase in T20 World Cup history.

In this match, Afghanistan won the toss and decided to bat first. The Afghan team had lost 2 wickets within the powerplay, but Gulbadin Naib and Sediqullah Atal together made a partnership of 79 runs to make a comeback for their team. Gulbadin scored 63 runs in 35 balls. Apart from him, other batsmen played short innings, but no one could score big.

New Zealand created history

Finn Allen and Rachin Ravindra were out on consecutive balls in the second over of the innings. At such a time, New Zealand’s opener Tim Seifert took charge and played a strong half-century of 65 runs. Whereas Glenn Phillips scored 42 runs in 25 balls. Mark Chapman (28) and Daryl Mitchell returned unbeaten after scoring 25 runs in 14 balls. Captain Mitchell Santner also wreaked havoc with the bat, remaining unbeaten on 17 runs in 8 balls.

This is New Zealand’s biggest run chase in T20 World Cup history. Earlier, New Zealand’s most successful run chase in the T20 World Cup was 167 runs, which it achieved against England in the semi-finals of the 2021 World Cup.

At the same time, this is also the biggest run chase against Afghanistan in T20 World Cup history. Earlier, the record of the biggest run chase against Afghanistan was in the name of Sri Lanka, which had defeated the Afghan team by achieving the target of 154 runs in 2016.

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The fourth match of T20 World Cup 2026 is being played between New Zealand and Afghanistan in Chennai. After winning the toss, Afghanistan decided to bat first, which their batsmen proved right. New Zealand’s condition can be gauged from the fact that they had to bowl to their 7 players. Gulbadin Naib played a stormy innings for Afghanistan, he completed his half-century in 29 balls. Gulbadin played a brilliant inning of 63 runs.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran started the innings for Afghanistan, both started with caution. Ibrahim (10) was caught out by Lockie Ferguson in the last over of the powerplay. He made a partnership of 35 runs with Gurbaz for the first wicket. In the same over, Gurbaz (27) also returned to the pavilion, Ferguson bowled him.

Gulbadin Naib’s stormy half-century

Afghanistan had a slow start, 2 wickets had fallen in the powerplay, then there was a partnership of 79 runs for the third wicket between Gulbadin Naib and Sediqullah Atal. Gulbadin completed his half-century in 29 balls. Atal was dismissed by Jacob Duffy in the 15th over, who played an important inning of 29 runs in 24 balls.

Gulbadin Naib’s brilliant innings came to an end in the 18th over, he was caught out on the ball of Rachin Ravindra. He scored 63 runs in 35 balls with the help of 4 sixes and 3 fours. In the end, Abdul Rasooli played important innings of 20 runs in 13 balls and Azmatullah Omarzai played important innings of 14 runs in 7 balls, taking the score to 182.

7 New Zealand players bowled

Captain Mitchell Santner made the two main bowlers bowl one over each with additional bowlers. Jacob Duffy and James Neesham bowled 3-3 overs. His overs were bowled by the captain from Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra. Rachin also took an important wicket in the form of Gulbadin Naib.

Lockie Ferguson took the most wickets for New Zealand, he took 2 wickets for 40 runs in 4 overs. He took both these wickets in the last over of the powerplay. Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy and Rachin took one wicket each.