New Zealand vs Afghanistan HIGHLIGHTS, ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Tim Seifert shines, Kiwis beat Afghans by 5 wickets

"It was a good day. We knew coming here that Afghanistan are a threat and they showed that today. They challenged us a lot today as we thought they would. It was a little bit sticky to start with. Powerplay is such an important part of the game. It was a flat wicket in the end, which was good. We can just be a little sharper. With the bat just get those little partnerships."

"Yeah, personally, it's always nice to start the tournament with a few runs under your belt. But the main thing is we got the win. Tough conditions as well out there. Lost a couple of early wickets, so it's nice to get the job done. (on the conditions in the powerplay) Yeah, for us, myself and Finn, we always looked to try and put pressure on the bowlers and we thought pace was going to be easier than spin," Seifert said at the post match presentation.

"And then we just adapted throughout the innings there. And then I thought sometimes the spin actually came a little bit easier than the seam. So it went my way, it's all about the momentum and who you're going to target throughout the innings. (something specific you are working on?) Oh, yeah, there's always something you're working on, but I think it's just the experience of playing around the world and in some of these franchise leagues and playing with the best players in the world and, you know, adapting to every condition basically out there and also just backing yourself how you want to go about your game," he added.

Santner FOUR, Mitchell SIX! And that's that then. The scores are levelled and if that Mitchell SIX ball of Azmat is judged a no-ball for height, then this can even be the end of the match.

16.6

Ziaur Rahman to Santner, SIX. Gifted and dispatched. The attempted yorker turns into a shin-high full toss, and Santner keeps his shape to drive it clean over long-off. That should seal it, leaving Trott looking more than a little puzzled.

Right then, New Zealand Need 28 from 24 balls. Will we have yet another thriller in this T20 World Cup 2026?

Chapman with consecutive boundaries. First a SIX over midwicket before a boundary past the keeper with the help of a scoop. Brilliant hit. New Zealand- need 32 runs from 30 balls after the end of 15 overs.

12.5, Mohammad Nabi to Seifert, OUT. The big hits end with a mistake. After going six, six and four, Nabi ups the pace to around 100kph and drags it onto leg stump. Seifert rocks back and swivels for the pull but can’t quite get over the ball, sending a top edge looping to deep backward square leg where Omarzai completes the catch.

Tim Seifert c Azmatullah Omarzai b Mohammad Nabi 65 (42 balls, 7 fours, 3 sixes), strike rate 154.76.

9.2, Rashid Khan to Phillips, OUT. Rashid wins this round in the end. Bowling from the new end, he serves it up very full just outside off, tempting Phillips to go big. Phillips clears the front leg and tries to carve it through cover, but only manages an inside edge that deflects back onto the stumps. Rashid lets out a final roar in triumph. Glenn Phillips b Rashid Khan 42 (25 balls, 7 fours, 1 six), strike rate 168.

6.5, Rashid Khan to Phillips, FOUR. Tries to correct the length but goes too short. Phillips rocks back comfortably and rolls the pull wide of midwicket, beating the fielder to the boundary.

New Zealand- 52/2 after 6 overs. Glenn Phillips- 18* off 14, Tim Seifert-31* off 19.

5.2, Mujeeb to Phillips, FOUR. Drifts a fraction too straight and Phillips is quick to swivel on it, getting the pull fine past short fine leg. The front-of-the-hand delivery ends up on the front pad line, and it’s helped away neatly for four.

4.4, Fazalhaq Farooqi to Seifert, SIX. Picked early and punished. He spots the slower one straight away, makes room by clearing the back leg and swings cleanly through the line, lofting the length ball straight and long for a towering six.

Phillips managing to find the odd boundary, New Zealand get 6 runs off the second Mujeeb over who had scalped twice in his first. They move to 31/2 after 4 overs. Tim Seifert- 19* off 14, Glenn Phillips- 9* off 7.

2.2, Azmatullah to Seifert, FOUR. Back of a length aimed at the stumps, and Seifert drops slightly before rolling his wrists on the pull. It flies to the left of Atal at deep square leg, who gives chase and dives, but the ball sneaks past and reaches the fence.

1.4

Mujeeb to Ravindra, OUT. Absolute beauty, and a golden duck for Rachin. Seam-up on a good length, it swings back in just enough to beat the bat as Ravindra looks to punch straight. Completely undone, he watches the ball crash into the top of off. Mujeeb is off in celebration, sprinting towards square leg in full Imran Tahir mode as teammates rush in with high fives.

Rachin Ravindra b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 0 (1 ball), strike rate 0.

1.3

Mujeeb to Allen, OUT. Cleaned up. Allen shapes up for the pull as soon as he sees the length, but this one skids on quicker than expected. He’s already cleared the front leg, misses completely, and the ball crashes into middle and leg. Mujeeb bursts into celebration, pumping the air and roaring as Allen looks back in frustration after nearly hammering the pitch.

Finn Allen b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 1 (2 balls), strike rate 50