New Zealand vs Afghanistan Archives

New Zealand to go ahead with Afghanistan Test

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said on Tuesday that it will go ahead with a Test match against Afghanistan in September, a month after Australia scrapped a T20I series against the same opponents.

Cricket Australia (CA) postponed a three-match series due to take place in August at a neutral venue, saying the situation for women in the Taliban-ruled country was deteriorating.

It was the third time since 2021 that Australia have refused to play Afghanistan outside of international tournaments.

However, New Zealand said they will play a one-off Test against Afghanistan at a venue yet to be decided.

They also face Afghanistan in their opening T20 World Cup 2024 match in the West Indies in June.

New Zealand Cricket said the decision to go ahead had been taken after discussions at board level and with the players’ association.

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“The consensus view was that a boycott in isolation would change nothing in Afghanistan,” said NZC spokesman Richard Boock.

“It would be more constructive to keep dialogue and participation channels open, while continuing to advocate strongly for change,”

Cricket has surged in popularity inside Afghanistan in recent years, fuelled by triumphs over bigger nations on the international stage.

But under the Taliban’s brand of Islamic rule, women are effectively barred from the game.

Afghanistan also usually play their “home” fixtures at neutral venues, mainly in the UAE.

“NZC strongly believes that cricket is a game for everyone and would like to see far greater support for the women’s game in Afghanistan in the short to medium term,” Boock said.

READ: Rishabh Pant back in India squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024

New Zealand crush Afghanistan to top ICC World Cup 2023 standings

CHENNAI: Tom Latham and Glenn Phillips’s half-centuries, paired up with a combined bowling effort, propelled New Zealand to a thumping 149-run victory over Afghanistan in the 16th match of the ICC World Cup 2023.

Set to chase 289, Afghanistan’s batting lineup failed completely and could only score 139 in response before being bundled out in the 35th over.

Afghanistan had a dismal start to their run chase as they lost both their openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz (11) and Ibrahim Zadran (14) and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (8) with just 43 runs on the board.

Following the early debacle, Rahmat Shah and Azmatullah Omarzai attempted to anchor the run-chase with a gutsy fourth-wicket partnership and added 54 runs to the total.

The pair appeared to have settled down but Trent Boult struck again to remove Omarzai and opened the floodgates. He scored 27 in 32 deliveries with the help of two boundaries.

Young spinner Rachin Ravindra then put New Zealand in complete command by removing Shah, who waged a lone battle for Afghanistan with a cautious 36. His 62-ball knock featured only one boundary.

Later, Mitchell Santner and Lockie Ferguson ripped through their tail and steered their side to the fourth-consecutive victory in the ICC World Cup 2023.

Afghanistan after winning the toss invited New Zealand to bat first and picked up an early wicket of in-form opening batter Devon Conway at a total of 30.

However, Will Young, who returned to the side after Kane Williamson suffered a thumb injury in the match against Bangladesh, remained firm and completed his half-century during his partnership with Rachin Ravindra.

The duo scored 79 runs for the second wicket before Azmatullah Omarzai sent both of them packing in the same over.

Ravindra scored 32, while Young scored 64-ball 54, featuring four boundaries and three sixes.

Watch ICC World Cup 2023 Live on ARY ZAP

With New Zealand struggling at 110-4, skipper Tom Latham and Glenn Phillips played cautiously at the start to help the side recover before switching gears in the final overs.

They knitted a 144-run stand for the fifth wicket, completing their respective half-centuries in the process.

Naveen-ul-Haq broke the stand when Phillips was caught in the deep by Rashid Khan after scoring 71 off 80, with the help of four boundaries and as many sixes.

Latham followed him two balls later while attempting to scoop Naveen-ul-Haq but missed the line and the ball thudded the off stump.

Mark Chapman then played a brisk 12-ball cameo of 25 to lift New Zealand to 288 in their accumulated 50 overs.

Naveen-ul-Haq and Azmatullah Omarzai picked two wickets each for Afghanistan, while Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman managed one each.

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ICC World Cup 2023: Afghanistan win toss, elect to field first against New Zealand

CHENNAI: Afghanistan have won the toss and elected to field first against New Zealand in the sixteenth match of the ICC World Cup 2023 at MA Chidambaram Stadium.

New Zealand

Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (c & wk), Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult

Watch ICC World Cup 2023 Live on ARY ZAP

Afghanistan

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi

HEAD TO HEAD RECORD:

Overall ODIs: Matches 2, New Zealand 2, Afghanistan 0

ODI World Cup: Matches 2, New Zealand 2, Afghanistan 0

READ: PCB complains ICC over Ahmedabad crowd’s “inappropriate conduct”

Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan joins 400-wickets club

ABU DHABI: Afghanistan’s leg-spinner Rashid Khan has completed his 400 wickets in T20 format during T20 World Cup’s contest against New Zealand.

Rashid bowled out Martin Guptill in Afghanistan’s last group stage contest to complete his 400 wickets in the shorter format.

The right-arm leggie achieved the milestone in 289 matches he played since 2015.

West Indies’ Dwayne Bravo is the highest wicket-taker in the T20 format with 553 wickets followed by Sunil Narine (425) and Imran Tahir (420).

READ: T20 World Cup: Australia crush West Indies by 8 wickets to close in on semi-final spot

New Zealand beat Afghanistan to qualify for T20 WC’s semi-finals

ABU DHABI: Kane Williamson and Devon Conway guided New Zealand to an eight-wicket win over Afghanistan and qualify for T20 World Cup’s semi-finals.

Williamson and Conway scored 68 runs together to lead New Zealand’s successful 125-run chase.

Williamson remained not out for 40 runs whereas Conway walked out with 36 runs under his belt. Williamson struck three boundaries followed by Conway, smashing four boundaries.

Martin Guptill made 28 runs before falling to Rashid Khan who completed his 400 T20 wickets. Daryl Mitchell managed to score 17 including three fours.

Rashid and Mujeeb-ur-Rehman bagged a wicket each for Afghanistan.

Earlier, New Zealand bowlers restricted Afghanistan to 124-8 in a must-win game for them.

After deciding to bat first in a virtual quarter-final, Afghanistan’s batters fell apart. The top-order failed completely to score runs.

Najibullah Zadran fought hard for Afghanistan with his 73 runs off 48 balls laced with six boundaries and three maximums. Gulbadin Naib made 15 whereas Mohammad Nabi made 14.

For New Zealand, Trent Boult bagged three wickets, Tim Southee took two wickets followed by Adam Milne, James Neesham, and Ish Sodhi taking a wicket each.

TOSS

Afghanistan won the toss and decided to bat first in their last group stage contest against New Zealand

SQUADS

Afghanistan: Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (capt), Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Hamid Hassan, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman.

New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Kane Williamson (capt), Devon Conway (wk), Glenn Phillips, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult.