displayed confident batting under the leadership of Tim Seifert operated new zealand win by five wickets afghanistan In the fourth match of Group D at MA Chidambaram Stadium. ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Chasing a competitive target of 183, the Black Caps reached the finish line with 13 balls to spare, underscoring their depth and adaptability on a Chennai surface that offered runs for the Braves.
Afghanistan has set a strong platform in batting
Electing to bat first after winning the toss, Afghanistan made a steady start before regaining momentum in the middle overs. Rahmanullah Gurbaz Set the atmosphere by playing a quick innings of 27 runs in 22 balls. Sediqullah Atal Played patiently to keep the innings on track. The innings really took off when Gulbadin Naib He took charge and played a strong inning of 63 runs with the help of four sixes in just 35 balls, which foiled New Zealand’s bowling plans.
dervish rasuli And Azmatullah Omarzai There was a valuable boost, albeit late, as Afghanistan crossed the 180 mark. For New Zealand, lockie fergusonThe pace brought two important wickets, while matt henry And jacob duffy Glued together in one piece. Despite a neat mantra michel santnerAfghanistan finished strongly on 182/6, a total that promised to be a tense target.
Tim Seifert chases down New Zealand’s target
New Zealand’s reply had a shaky start finn allen And Rachin Ravindra Was out cheaply, giving Afghanistan early confidence. However, Seifert handled the pressure calmly and rebuilt the innings with assurance. His fluent strokeplay against both pace and spin kept the scoreboard ticking even as Afghanistan tried to tighten the screws mujeeb ur rehman And Rashid Khan.
Seifert found the perfect partner glen phillipsWhose aggressive 42 runs in 25 balls changed the momentum decisively. The pair neutralized the spin threat with smart shot selection, ensuring that the asking rate never got out of control.
After Seifert was out for a match-defining 65, mark chapman And darryl mitchell Maintained the chase with tight cameos. Santner then scored a quick 17 runs to take New Zealand to 183/5 in just 17.5 overs. Afghanistan’s bowlers fought hard, in which Mujeeb took two wickets, but after the target was set, they could not get success.
Tim Seifert earns Player of the Match🔥#Tim Seifert #T20WorldCup2026 pic.twitter.com/Roqg304Prz
– CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) 8 February 2026
