New Zealand vs Afghanistan, ICC MT20 WC, 2026 Feb 8 Full score card

OUT! OMARZAI IS RUN OUT! Lockie Ferguson hits the length hard and outside off, Mohammad Nabi punches it towards sweeper cover and turns around for the second run, which they had to as this is the last ball of the innings. James Neesham is quick to collect the ball and throws it at the bowler's end, where Ferguson grabs it and breaks the stumps, with Azmatullah Omarzai trying to drag his bat inside the crease. The smart replays confirm that he is short of his crease. Afghanistan finish on 182/6!

Excellent bowling! A bouncer now, on off, takes pace off again. Mohammad Nabi swings for the hills, but goes through it decades early and misses it.

Lockie Ferguson comes around the wicket, bowls this full and on leg, Azmatullah Omarzai has a hoick across the line but goes through it early due to the lack of pace. It deflects off his pads towards point. A leg bye taken.

Hard length and around off, Mohammad Nabi slaps it wide of mid off for a single.

A slower wide yorker, outside off, Mohammad Nabi leaves it thinking it will be a wide, but it is inside the guideline.

SIX! Mohammad Nabi gets into the act now! Lockie Ferguson misses the yorker, serves this full, on middle and leg. Nabi gets his front leg out of the way and smokes it over the wide long on fence for another biggie.

Will it be the spin of Rachin Ravindra to finish or the pace of Lockie Ferguson? Mitchell Santner has asked his front-line pacer, Lockie Ferguson, to end this inning with the ball. New Zealand's highest successful run chase in T20 World Cup is 167.

SIX! That is a shot and a half! Matt Henry goes short and just outside off. Azmatullah Omarzai backs away, uses the width on offer and muscles it over the deep extra cover fence for a biggie.

Uppish but safe! Fuller delivery, outside off, takes pace off. Mohammad Nabi backs away and just throws his hands at it. He ends up spooning it in the air but it lands safely in the vacant point region. They cross.

Back of a length and on middle, Azmatullah Omarzai heaves it off the inner half of the bat to deep square leg for a run.

Bangs in a slower bouncer, on middle, Azmatullah Omarzai winds up for the pull but leaves it in the end. He has a look at the square leg umpire, who only signals one for the over.

Fuller and on middle, angling in, Mohammad Nabi tucks it towards mid-wicket for a single.

Mohammad Nabi walks out to replace Darwish Rasooli in the 19th over.

OUT! TAKEN IN THE DEEP! Matt Henry strikes now, and this is exactly what New Zealand wanted at this time. This is short of a length and around middle, Darwish Rasooli looks to take it on and goes for the pull. However, the ball just gets big on him and he fails to get the elevation. It flies flat and straight to deep mid-wicket, where Glenn Phillips takes a good catch. Rasooli walks back for a quick 20 off 13, and the Afghans lose half their side now.

SIX! Clean strike! Rachin Ravindra bowls this a bit quicker and shorter, on off. Azmatullah Omarzai stands tall and dispatches it with a flat-bat over the long off fence for another biggie. So, 14 runs and a wicket from Rachin's over.

Slower through the air, full and outside off, turns further away. Azmatullah Omarzai leaves it alone. He looks at the umpire but gets nothing.

Flighted, full and on middle, Darwish Rasooli swipes it to deep square leg for a run.

Short and around off, Azmatullah Omarzai punches it to sweeper cover for a single.

OUT! TAKEN! Rachin Ravindra has the last laugh, and the gamble has paid off for Mitchell Santner. Rachin drags his length back slightly, floats it up outside off. Gulbadin Naib goes down for the slog sweep but has to reach out for it a bit. He does not get hold of it as the ball takes the top edge and goes high in the air. Tim Seifert, the keeper, calls for it, moves forward and pouches it safely into his gloves. Naib departs for a fantastic 63 off 35, and Afghanistan are 156/4. Over to Azmatullah Omarzai to provide the finishing touches.

SIX! BOOM! Rachin Ravindra gets greeted with a huge hit. He tosses it up, full and around middle. Gulbadin Naib clears his front leg away and tonks it right over the bowler's head for half a dozen. Naib moves to 63, his highest T20I career score.

Interesting ploy from Mitchell Santner. Rachin Ravindra has been called into action in the 18th over.

FOUR! The extra ball costs Lockie Ferguson here! He goes fuller and around off, pace on this time. Darwish Rasooli backs away and extends his arms to reach out for it. He crouches a bit low and carves it over extra covers for a boundary. Holds the pose for the cameras as well. That also brings up the 150 for Afghanistan!

WIDE! Tries the slower one, but spills this full and down the leg side, Darwish Rasooli fails to flick it away. Wided.

Pitched up and on middle, Gulbadin Naib lofts it to long on for one.

Fuller and around off, Darwish Rasooli pushes it through covers for a single.

Nails the yorker, on middle, Darwish Rasooli jams it wide of the bowler. Lockie Ferguson on his follow-through dives to his left and makes a half-stop. He sees Rasooli out of his crease, and has a shy but misses. It would have been interesting if that hit the stumps.

SIX! Wow..that is massive! Lockie Ferguson bangs this into the pitch, on middle and leg. It looks like Darwish Rasooli wants to duck but goes through with the pull shot while ducking. He connects it right from the middle and the ball sails over the deep square leg fence for a biggie.

Buzzers! Hard length and on middle, angling in. Darwish Rasooli backs away and lifts it off the toe-end towards long on for a single. The throw from the deep hits the stumps at the bowler's end and deflects away, allowing the batters to get an extra run.

Pushed through quicker, shortish and on middle, Darwish Rasooli forces it down to long off for one more. Mitchell Santner goes wicketless but concedes just 23 runs in his 4 overs. Very tidy from the Kiwi skipper.

Flighted, full and on off, Gulbadin Naib drills it to long off for one.

Shorter in length once more, on off, Darwish Rasooli backs away and cuts it through cover-point for another run.

Dragged back and around off, Gulbadin Naib slaps it to sweeper cover for a run.

Short again and on off, Darwish Rasooli punches it towards long off for a single.

Floated, short and well outside off, Darwish Rasooli backs away and leaves it but this goes inside the tramline.

FOUR! Naib gets lucky but he wouldn't mind it one bit. Short and on off, Gulbadin Naib looks to pull this flat through square leg but gets it edged over the keeper for a boundary behind the stumps. 15 runs plus a wicket from the over.

Short and on middle and leg, Darwish Rasooli hooks this to deep backward square leg for one.

On a length around middle and leg, Darwish Rasooli flicks this through the mid-wicket region and scampers back for two.

A crucial breakthrough for New Zealand. Darwish Rasooli is the next man in.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! ​Sediqullah Atal departs after playing a good hand of 29 off 24 balls. Slower one, short and around off, Sediqullah Atal winds up for the pull but has to wait due to the lack of pace. He does not go through his shot fully and gets a top edge behind towards the keeper. Tim Seifert takes a couple of steps backwards and holds onto it. The 79-run stand off 51 balls has been broken now.

FIFTY FOR NAIB! Good length on middle and off, Gulbadin Naib pushes this through covers for a single to bring up his half-century, off 29 balls. A promotion that has worked for the Afghans, and this has been a great knock, too, when his team needed it.

WIDE! On a length wide outside off. Wided.

SIX! This has been smashed over the ropes for a biggie by Naib. Back of a length around off, Gulbadin Naib stands and smashes this over the long on fence for a huge six. Moves to 49.

DRINKS! Afghanistan have recovered well after losing their openers. This stand between Sediqullah Atal and Gulbadin Naib, which is worth 71 runs now, has set up a good platform for the Afghans to launch in the remaining six overs. New Zealand have done well, but that 18-run over from James Neesham has shifted the momentum a bit, and the Kiwis will be looking for a breakthrough here to snatch back control of this game. Also, Jacob Duffy is to bowl after the break.

Fired into the batter, Gulbadin Naib goes deep inside the crease and works this through mid on for one.

Fired on off, Sediqullah Atal punches this down the ground to long off for a run.

Flighted wide outside off, Gulbadin Naib chips this to sweeper cover for one.

Pushed through on the pads, Sediqullah Atal smashes this to long on for a single.

Much slower around middle and leg, Sediqullah Atal looks for the sweep but gets it away off the inside edge to short fine leg.

Pushed through wide of off, Gulbadin Naib drives this down to long off for a run.

A touch fuller, on middle and off, Gulbadin Naib tucks this through mid-wicket for a run. 18 runs off this Neesham over.

SIX! Even better this time from Naib. On a length around middle and leg, Gulbadin Naib plants his front foot across and slogs this out of the park towards the deep mid-wicket region for a huge six.

FOUR! Boundaries are coming thick and fast again. Slower one, full and wide down the leg, Gulbadin Naib steps across and hits this behind the fielder at short fine leg for a boundary. 100 up for the Afghans!

Short and on off, Sediqullah Atal cuts this to deep point for a single.

Hard length on middle and leg, Sediqullah Atal tucks this through mid-wicket and takes two.

FOUR! Sensational stroke from Atal. Good length on middle and leg, Sediqullah Atal backs away from the stumps, steps down as well and smashes this over the bowler for a boundary in front of the sight screen. That also brings up the 50-RUN STAND between these two batters.

James Neesham comes back into the attack. He has conceded 15 runs in his first couple of overs.

Back of a length around off, Gulbadin Naib miscues the pull off the cue end and it rolls to the left of long on. The batters hustle back for two.

On a length around the pads, Atal flicks this to the right of Jacob Duffy at short fine and takes a single.

Hard length on the pads, Gulbadin Naib dabs this to the right of short fine leg and rotates the strike again.

Back of a length around the pads, Sediqullah Atal works this through the short fine leg region for one.

On a length around middle and off, Sediqullah Atal nudges this through mid-wicket and runs a couple.

Good length around middle and off, Gulbadin Naib nudges this through square leg for one.

Pace is back on as Lockie Ferguson (1-0-9-2) replaces Mitchell Santner.

Glenn Phillips drags his length back and fires this around the pads of Naib. The batter tucks this through square leg for a run.

SIX! That has been smashed out of the park. Fuller around middle and leg, Gulbadin Naib gets down on a knee and slogs this over the fence towards the cow corner region for a biggie.

Fired on the pads, Sediqullah Atal flicks this through mid-wicket for a strike rotation.

WIDE! Darted down the leg. Sediqullah Atal looks for the sweep and misses. Atal loses his balance for a second but does well to drag his back foot back inside the crease in time.

A lot quicker and flatter around off, Gulbadin Naib uses his feet, jumps down the track and milks this through square leg for a single.

Floated around off, Sediqullah Atal punches this down to long off and rotates the strike.

Fired into the batter, around his pads. Gulbadin Naib flicks this through mid-wicket for a run.

Gives this one some more flight, full and on middle, Gulbadin Naib clips it to deep square leg for one more.

Dragged back, on middle, turns in, Sediqullah Atal stays back and works it through square leg for one.

FOUR! Nice use of the feet! Flighted, full and on middle. Sediqullah Atal skips down the track to get to the pitch of it and thumps it over the bowler's head for a boundary.

A loopy full toss, on off. Gulbadin Naib waits for it and swats it on the bounce to long on for a single.

Floated, full and on off, angling in, Gulbadin Naib looks to push it away but gets an inside edge towards mid-wicket.

Tossed up, full and around off, Gulbadin Naib strides out and drives it through covers for a brace.

Sloppy! Good length and on middle and leg, Sediqullah Atal flicks it away towards deep square leg and calls for the second. Mark Chapman charges onto the ball but fails to pick it up, and the batters complete the double easily.

WIDE! Errs in line and serves this full but down the leg side, Sediqullah Atal fails to glance it away. Called a wide.

Short of a length and on off, Sediqullah Atal stays back and dabs it down towards backward point. He wants a run but there isn't any available on this occasion.

Back of a length and around leg, Sediqullah Atal tucks it off his hips through backward square leg for a couple of runs.

Hard length and on off, angling in. Gulbadin Naib steps across but has no room to work with and stabs it down past the bowler towards long on. They cross.

FOUR! Up and over! James Neesham goes a bit too full this time and on off. Gulbadin Naib extends his arms to get under it and lofts it over the mid off fielder for a boundary.

On a length and around off, Sediqullah Atal guides it through cover-point for a single.

Flighted, full and on off, Sediqullah Atal uses his feet and drives it to long off for one more.

Arm ball, full and on middle, angling in, Gulbadin Naib works it off the inner half of the bat through square leg for one. That also brings up 1000 T20I runs for Naib.

Slows it up, full and around off, Gulbadin Naib presses forward and taps it to short cover.

Drops it short and on middle, Sediqullah Atal pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single. 50 UP FOR AFGHANISTAN!

Tossed up, full and on middle, Sediqullah Atal tucks it to short mid-wicket.

WIDE! Flatter, short but way down the leg side, Sediqullah Atal lets it go. Wided.

Oh..a bit of turn! Floated, full and on middle, turns in a bit. Sediqullah Atal looks to work it across the line but gets a leading edge along the ground towards backward point.

Time for some spin as the skipper, Mitchell Santner, introduces himself into the attack.

Beaten! James Neesham hits the length hard and on the sixth stump line, gets it to shape away a shy bit. Gulbadin Naib pushes at it with hard hands but gets beaten on the outside edge.

Back of a length and around off, Gulbadin Naib dabs it down to point.

Good length and around leg, Sediqullah Atal nudges it through square leg for one.

Sticks to the fuller length, on middle, Gulbadin Naib flicks it away to deep mid-wicket for another run.

Pitched up and around off, Sediqullah Atal steers it away towards deep point for a run.

Fuller delivery, on off, Gulbadin Naib guides it to deep third for a single.

Sediqullah Atal is the next batter out in the middle. Powerplay ends with Afghanistan scoring 44 for 2. New Zealand would feel they have had the better of their opponents in that period. Both openers are back in the dugout and NZ now stands a chance to control the middle phase of the contest and gain the upper hand over Afghanistan.

OUT! DRAGGED ON! Excellent change of pace from Lockie Ferguson, and he ends the over with a wicket as well. Ferguson bowls this on a good length and on off, rolls his fingers to take the pace off. Rahmanullah Gurbaz gets drawn forward early to block it, but the ball holds up in the surface and nips in as well. It takes the inside edge, deflects onto the pads and then rattles the stumps. Gurbaz departs for 27 off 22, and both the Afghan openers are gone now at the end of the Powerplay.

FOUR! Fine shot! Lockie Ferguson looks for the yorker, but just misses it, on middle. Rahmanullah Gurbaz backs away to access the off side and smacks it through covers for a boundary.

Short of a length and on middle, angling into the body of the batter. Gulbadin Naib gets rushed on his pull shot and mistimes it through square leg for a run.

Full again and on middle, Rahmanullah Gurbaz knocks it towards wide mid on for a single.

Gets off the mark! Much fuller delivery, outside off, Gulbadin Naib opens the face of his bat and squeezes it through point for three runs.

Gulbadin Naib has been promoted as he walks out to join Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the middle.

OUT! STRAIGHT TO THE FIELDER! Lockie Ferguson comes into the attack and strikes right away. He bangs this hard into the pitch, but outside off. Ibrahim Zadran sees this as a scoring opportunity and throws his hands at it. However, he just fails to handle the extra bounce and ends up hitting it straight to backward point, where Glenn Phillips gobbles it up easily. Zadran walks back for 10 off 12, and Afghanistan are 35/1.

Short and into the batter, Rahmanullah Gurbaz goes for a pull but gets late and ends up splicing it to the left of the bowler.

Good length on middle and off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz smashes this towards deep mid-wicket for a couple.

On a length around off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz clips this just behind the bowler for a dot.

NOT OUT! Hard length on middle and leg, Ibrahim Zadran looks to play across the line but misses and gets hit on the thigh pad of the back foot. The ball rolls to point and they sneak a leg bye. Finn Allen tries to catch Zadran off guard with a throw towards the non-striker's end but misses. This is the second instance when Finn Allen has opted to throw underarm. Maybe he is nursing that shoulder injury he suffered in the T20I against India. Mitchell Santner opted to send this upstairs for DRS. Ball Tracker shows that the ball would have missed the stumps. New Zealand lose a review.

Is that out? There is an appeal for LBW, but not given by the umpire. New Zealand have taken the review here. UltraEdge confirms no bat involved and Ball Tracking shows the ball to be going over the stumps. The Kiwis lose a review early.

Good length around middle and off, Ibrahim Zadran clips this to deep square leg for a brace here.

FOUR! Even Zadran joins the party. Full and angling into the leg side, Ibrahim Zadran stays leg side to the pitch of the ball and flicks this through the mid-wicket region for a boundary.

Will we see a bowling change? No, Matt Henry to bowl his third over on the trot.

FOUR! All it took was one biggie from Gurbaz to make him cut loose. Short and on off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz pulls this through the mid-wicket region for a boundary.

SIX! First biggie of the contest and it comes off the bat of Gurbaz. On a length around middle and leg, Rahmanullah Gurbaz shuffles across the stumps and plays the scoop perfectly. The ball sails over the fence towards the fine leg region for a huge six.

Short and on off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz thumps this to covers for no run.

WIDE! Good length, down the leg. Wided.

Back of a length, wide of off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz looks to play the upper cut but misses. Rahmanullah Gurbaz is seemingly getting frustrated.

Cutter, into the deck, around off. Rahmanullah Gurbaz scuffs the punch off his under edge.

Back of a length around the pads, Rahmanullah Gurbaz gets it tickled to short fine for a dot.

This has been a quiet start from Afghanistan, according to their standards. We are 3 overs in, but have not seen a single boundary, and it could have been worse had New Zealand managed to hold on to the catch in the previous over.

Good length on off, Ibrahim Zadran blocks this off his back foot.

DROPPED!​ Rahmanullah Gurbaz gets a life as Finn Allen drops a difficult chance. Good length around off, shaping away from the batter. Rahmanullah Gurbaz shimmies down the track and has a blind swing at it. Gets it top-edged behind the keeper. Finn Allen from short fine leg, the keeper and Daryl Mitchell from first slip chase this but Finn Allen ends up calling for it and then dropping it. Three runs taken.

Short and shaping it away from the batter towards his off-stump. Rahmanullah Gurbaz shuffles across and goes for the pull but misses yet again.

Short and around leg, Ibrahim Zadran fends this through Finn Allen at short fine leg. A misfield from Allen and the batters cross for one.

Around that nagging length, on top of off. Ibrahim Zadran punches this off his front foot to mid on.

Back of a length around off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz cuts this to deep third for a single.

Good length on the pads, Rahmanullah Gurbaz steps inside the line and nudges this through square leg for a run to end the over.

Short again, much wide of the off-stump. Rahmanullah Gurbaz shuffles across and looks to pull this but misses out.

Short and on off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz dabs this behind square on off side.

Short and on off, Ibrahim Zadran hops up on his toes and dabs this to the left of Finn Allen at short third. Allen does well to field this with a dive to that side and keep it down to one.

On a length around the pads, Ibrahim Zadran flicks this through the square leg region and by the time the deep square leg fielder cuts it off, the batters take two.

Hard length, around middle and off, Ibrahim Zadran keeps it out.

Jacob Duffy will share the attack.

Short and around leg, Rahmanullah Gurbaz leaves it expecting a wide but the umpire calls it a fair one.

On a length around off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz lofts this behind mid off for a brace.

Gurbaz on the charge. Good length, wide of off, shaping away from the batter. Rahmanullah Gurbaz runs down and away and sliced this behind cover-point for a couple of runs.

LEG BYE! Good length, going down the leg, Ibrahim Zadran misses out on the flick and the ball has clipped off his pads towards square leg for a leg bye.

Pace off, back of a length, going down the leg. Ibrahim Zadran looks to dab this through square leg but misses and gets hit away off his pads. The ball pops up and rolls behind but past the stumps.

A single to get us underway. Good length, in line with the stumps. Rahmanullah Gurbaz presses in front and tucks this towards square leg for a run to open his account.

Done with the pre-match formalities! The sun is shining brightly here in Chepauk. We can see the Kiwi players spread out from the huddle and take up the fielding positions. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran are the two openers for Afghanistan. Matt Henry has the new ball in hand and is raring to go. A slip in place. Let's play...

It is now time for the national anthems as Rashid Khan and Mitchell Santner lead their respective teams out to the middle, with Afghanistan's anthem coming first before New Zealand's follows.

The captain of New Zealand - Mitchell Santner says that they were thinking about bowling first but were not sure. Adds that there is a bit of grass on the wicket, which is unlike Chennai. Mentions that they have had a hectic schedule travelling all around the country for the series against India. Says that they were struggling a bit with some niggles here and there but everyone is up and running which is good. Informs that Ish Sodhi, Devon Conway, Michael Bracewell, and Kyle Jamieson miss out.

The skipper of Afghanistan - Rashid Khan plans to bat first, citing the fresh wicket as a factor, aiming to put runs on the board before spinners come into play in the second innings. He adds that the players have gained global exposure in recent years, so they won't feel the conditions are alien. Rashid also believes the pitch will suit pacers if they hit the right lengths.

New Zealand (Playing XI) - Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (WK), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (C), James Neesham, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy.

Afghanistan (Playing XI) - Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (C), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ziaur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi.

TOSS - The coin lands in favour of Rashid Khan and Afghanistan elect to BAT first.

Afghanistan’s clear mantra - Fresh off comfortable warm-up victories against the West Indies and Scotland, Afghanistan looks ready to replicate their magical run to the 2024 semi-finals. Their formula remains simple. A solid start from top-order batters like Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, followed by a spin-choke in the middle overs. Even without the injured Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi will lead the charge with the new ball as they aim to start the tournament with a bang. Stay tuned for toss and team news.

The Black Caps' challenge - New Zealand arrives after a tough series against defending champions India, but they have spent nearly a month adapting to these subcontinental conditions. Although they suffered a blow with pacer Adam Milne ruled out due to injury, the return of experienced senior players boosts their confidence. In-form batters like Devon Conway, Finn Allen, and Rachin Ravindra will be key as they look to counter the Afghan bowlers and put runs on the board.

Spin battle in the Group of Death - This match is crucial as Group D is shaping up to be the Group of Death, featuring heavyweights like South Africa alongside Canada and the UAE. Since Chepauk usually helps slow bowlers, and this is a day game, spin will likely decide the winner. Afghanistan’s strategy relies heavily on their spin wizards, but the Black Caps are well-prepared with their own potent spin attack led by skipper Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi.

The rematch at Chepauk - Welcome to the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai for a massive clash on Day 2 of the T20 World Cup 2026. Afghanistan takes on New Zealand in a highly anticipated Group D encounter. Fans will remember how Afghanistan stunned the Kiwis in the 2024 World Cup in Guyana, and now New Zealand has a chance to settle the score. With the sun beating down, the stage is set for a thrilling contest.

... MATCHDAY ...

Chennai welcomes the World Cup - Group D of the 2026 T20 World Cup gets underway at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, as Afghanistan lock horns with New Zealand. With South Africa, Canada and the UAE also in the mix, this really does feel like the group of death. Afghanistan's rise - Rashid Khan and Co. come into this tournament carrying belief. Their 2024 T20 World Cup campaign, where they qualified for the semis, underlined just how far they have come as a white-ball side. This is a team that genuinely believes it can beat anyone on its day. Playing all their group matches in India only adds to that confidence. Memories of the 2023 ODI World Cup will still be fresh, especially here in Chennai, where they registered that famous, convincing win over Pakistan. Their preparation has been solid too. They won both warm up games against Scotland and the West Indies, and the squad itself feels nicely balanced. There is experience at the top with Rahmanullah Gurbaz and vice-captain Ibrahim Zadran, while youngsters like Darwish Rasooli and Sediqullah Atal add freshness to the batting group. The all-round options are one of Afghanistan’s biggest strengths. Spin and pace are both well covered. Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi provide quality spin, while Gulbadin Naib and Azmatullah Omarzai give them seam options, with Omarzai also expected to take the new ball. They will, however, miss Naveen-ul-Haq, who is sidelined with a stress fracture in his right shoulder. That absence leaves their pace attack a little short on experience. Fazalhaq Farooqi is the senior specialist quick, but he hasn’t quite been as effective as he once was. Abdullah Ahmadzai and Ziaur Rahman are the other seam options, while the spin department also includes Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad. New Zealand seeking redemption - The Kiwis are looking to turn the page after a disappointing 2024 T20 World Cup, where they crashed out in the group stage following defeats to Afghanistan and West Indies. Their only wins came against Uganda and Papua New Guinea. In terms of preparation, Mitchell Santner's side could hardly have asked for a more useful build-up than a five-match T20I series against India right before the World Cup. While the 4-1 scoreline does not make for great reading, there would have been plenty of learnings taken from that series. In their lone warm-up game, the USA pushed them hard, but a big total of 209 proved just enough in the end. There are a few concerns in the New Zealand camp. Michael Bracewell is nursing a calf injury, and his availability remains uncertain. On top of that, two key fast bowlers, Lockie Ferguson and Matt Henry, are expected to take paternity leave at some stage during the tournament. That places extra responsibility on Jacob Duffy, who was the breakout star of 2025. Kyle Jamieson wasn’t initially named in the squad but was drafted in after Adam Milne picked up an injury. Spin duties will largely rest with Santner and Ish Sodhi, with Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra offering handy support. Ravindra, though, has struggled for form in this format of late, and whether he can rediscover his rhythm on the World Cup stage remains one of the big questions. At the top, the opening pair of Tim Seifert and Finn Allen promises plenty of fireworks, especially with Allen coming off a stellar BBL season. Devon Conway could be the one to miss out, depending on the combination they go with. In the middle order, Daryl Mitchell will be absolutely crucial. His ability to handle spin and the form he showed on the recent tour of India make him a key figure. New Zealand will also want contributions from Phillips, Mark Chapman and James Neesham to really stamp their authority. Team form (Last 5 T20Is, latest result first) - Afghanistan - LWWWW | New Zealand - LWLLL. Conditions in Chennai - An 11 am start rules out the possibility of any dew, which should keep things nice and even for both sides. It also brings the spinners from both sides right into the game. With the sun beating down, there is every chance the surface would slow down as the match goes on, and that extra layer of intrigue could play a big role in how this contest unfolds. You can’t help but feel that how New Zealand handle the Afghan spin attack will be decisive. Their last T20I meeting came in Guyana during the previous World Cup, where Afghanistan produced a stunning performance, bowling the Kiwis out for just 75 and sealing a comprehensive 84-run win. This affair in Chennai has all the ingredients for another fascinating chapter, and given the makeup of the group, an early win could prove absolutely crucial. Who are you rooting for?