New Zealand chase down 183 to beat Afghanistan in T20 World Cup opener

New Zealand began their Group D campaign in the T20 World Cup with a hard-fought five-wicket victory over Afghanistan, pulling off their highest successful run chase in the tournament’s history. Chasing a challenging target of 183 in Chennai, the Black Caps showed composure under pressure to get over the line with 13 balls to spare.

The chase did not start well for New Zealand. Early strikes left them reeling at 14 for 2, with Finn Allen and Rachin Ravindra back in the pavilion cheaply. Afghanistan’s bowlers, led by Mujeeb Ur Rahman, looked in control and the momentum was clearly with the batting side.

Tim Seifert then steadied the innings with a confident and well-judged knock. Opening the batting, Seifert played positively without taking reckless risks, scoring 65 off 42 balls. His partnership with Glenn Phillips was crucial, adding 74 runs for the third wicket and dragging New Zealand back into the contest.

Phillips looked fluent during his 42 off 25 balls but was bowled by Rashid Khan at a key moment. Seifert continued to attack, launching Mohammad Nabi for back-to-back sixes to bring up his half-century, but he fell soon after, holing out at square leg.

At 155 for 5 with four overs remaining, the match was still in the balance. However, Daryl Mitchell and Mitchell Santner handled the situation calmly. With Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman having completed their spells, the pair targeted the remaining bowlers with controlled aggression. Mitchell remained unbeaten on 25 off 14 balls, while Santner struck 17 not out from just eight deliveries to finish the job.

Earlier, Afghanistan posted 182 for 6, built around a strong innings from Gulbadin Naib. The all-rounder scored 63 off 35 balls, striking the ball cleanly and keeping the scoreboard moving. He shared useful partnerships with Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Sediqullah Atal, giving Afghanistan a competitive total.

For New Zealand, Lockie Ferguson picked up 2 for 40, while Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy and Rachin Ravindra claimed a wicket each.

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The successful chase surpassed New Zealand’s previous best T20 World Cup pursuit of 167 against England in the 2021 semi-final. More importantly, it gives them early confidence in a tightly contested group, while Afghanistan will take positives from a performance that kept them in the game for most of the night.