NEW DELHI: Afghanistan delivered a commanding performance to defeat New Zealand by 84 runs in their Group C T20 match. The victory, lauded by Afghan captain
Rashid Khan
as "one of the greatest performances" from the team in T20 cricket, showcased a potent blend of disciplined batting and potent bowling.
Afghanistan's openers,
Ibrahim Zadran
and
Rahmanullah Gurbaz
, set the tone with their second consecutive century partnership.
Navigating challenging pitch conditions, they exhibited patience and strategic acumen, building a solid foundation for the team.
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Their composed approach, particularly during a period of dot balls between overs seven and nine, drew praise from Rashid Khan, who highlighted their crucial role in setting up the victory.
Afghanistan's bowlers, despite the absence of injured
Mujeeb Ur Rahman
, delivered an exceptional performance. Sticking to their pre-match strategy of restricting New Zealand after posting a competitive total, the bowlers exploited the helpful pitch conditions.
"It's one of the greatest performances from us especially in T20s against a big team, New Zealand," Rashid said at the presentation. "It is all great team effort. It's not just about the bowling. It's the batting, the way Ibrahim [Zadran] and [Rahmanullah] Gurbaz started again…the wicket wasn't easy to score on."
Seamer and spinner alike maintained tight lines and extracted significant turn, stifling the New Zealand batsmen and restricting their scoring opportunities.
"It's something we have discussed before coming into the competition," he said. "Anything around 160-170 we score on this track, with the bowling unit we have, we will give tough time to the opposition. We knew there was support for the bowlers in the wicket. As long as we keep things simple and hit the right areas consistently, it was going to be more effective for us, and that's what happened."
“The spinners and especially the seamers, the way they started bowling and then Nabi the second over - that gave us a very positive sign for the spinners that the ball is turning. Dew was there but still bowling tight, wicket to wicket, and the skills as a bowling unit we have, if we use our skills [to the potential], it's going to be very hard for the opposition to score 160,” Rashid added.
The victory propelled Afghanistan to the top of Group C, securing their second consecutive win. New Zealand, meanwhile, face an uphill battle to qualify for the Super Eight, currently occupying the bottom position in the group. Their upcoming match against the West Indies takes on added significance, with their tournament hopes hanging in the balance.
(Inputs from ANI)
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