New Zealand and Afghanistan are set to face off in a high-stakes encounter on Sunday, February 8, in the 4th match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The match will take place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk) in Chennai. The game is scheduled to begin at 11 AM IST. This Group D clash is particularly significant for the Black Caps, who are seeking revenge after a stunning 84-run loss to Afghanistan in the 2024 edition.
Since the last T20 World Cup, a distinct trend has emerged in New Zealand’s performance. The Black Caps have an overall record of 16 wins out of 30 matches, but they have struggled significantly against top-tier opposition. Specifically, they have found themselves outmatched by heavyweights India, England and Australia, securing only a single victory in their last 10 encounters against those three teams.
New Zealand vs. Afghanistan head-to-head record
New Zealand and Afghanistan share a brief history in T20 Internationals; both have never played in a bilateral series. Their entire head-to-head record is based on the World Cup stage, where they have faced off three times with both winning one game each and one was washout.
While the Black Caps claimed a comfortable victory in their first encounter during the 2021 World Cup, their most recent meeting in 2024, where Afghanistan dismantled New Zealand’s batting lineup, bowling them out for a mere 75 runs to secure a historic win.
Head-to-Head: NZ vs AFG
| Category | Matches | NZ Won | AFG Won | No Result |
| Overall T20Is | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| T20 World Cups | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Last 5 T20Is | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
New Zealand vs Afghanistan T20 World Cup 2026 Weather Report
According to AccuWeather, Chennai is expected to be sunny on Sunday, with a high of 29°C and a low of 22°C. The weather is expected to be humid, and there is no possibility of thunderstorms or precipitation. The wind gusts are expected to be at a speed of 33 km/h.
New Zealand vs Afghanistan T20 World Cup 2026 Pitch Report
The MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai is known for its compact dimensions, featuring both square and straight boundaries that typically stay within the 70-meter mark. Despite these shorter distances, it remains a challenging venue for batters; the ground historically yields low average scores, with totals surpassing 170 being a rare occurrence.
New Zealand vs Afghanistan Probable XIs:
New Zealand Playing XI: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson and Matt Henry/Kyle Jamieson.
Afghanistan Playing XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan (c), Abdullah Ahmadzai/Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad and Naveen Ul Haq.
New Zealand vs. Afghanistan squads for T20 World Cup 2026
Afghanistan Squad: Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan(c), Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Shahidullah Kamal, Mohammad Ishaq, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi, Abdullah Ahmadzai
New Zealand Squad: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert(w), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner(c), Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy, James Neesham, Matt Henry, Devon Conway, Mark Chapman