Afghanistan beat New Zealand by 84 runs

Rampant Afghanistan mauled a lethargic New Zealand by 84 runs to grab top spot in Group C at the T20 World Cup with a shock win at the Guyana National Stadium on Friday.

Afghanistan set a challenging score of 160 for New Zealand but the Black Caps crashed to 75 all out off 15.2 overs to suffer their first defeat ever to Afghanistan in T20 International cricket.

Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz led the way for the Afghans with a top score of 80 off 56 balls (five fours, five sixes), posting 103 for the first wicket with Ibrahim Zadran (44) by the 15th over on the way to a final total of 159 for six after they were put in.

Left-arm seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi then followed his five-wicket opening match demolition of Uganda with the first three wickets of the New Zealand innings before coming back to claim a fourth to end the match.

Captain and formidable leg-spinner Rashid Khan shared the bowling honours with a haul of four for 17, including opposite number Kane Williamson with the first ball of his spell to effectively end the match as a contest.

New Zealand’s capitulation and obvious rustiness leaves the 2021 beaten finalists with a tough challenge ahead, starting against co-hosts West Indies in Trinidad next Wednesday.