ICC T20 World Cup 2024: Afghanistan's Dominance Continues

Afghanistan is soaring high in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. After crushing Uganda by 125 runs in their first match, they thrashed New Zealand by 84 runs in their second encounter. Known for their bowling strength, Afghanistan is demonstrating their prowess on the global stage in this tournament.

On Saturday, at Guyana's Providence Stadium, Afghanistan batted first after losing the toss and set a target of 159 runs. New Zealand, in pursuit of this target, crumbled to just 75 runs, leading to Afghanistan’s resounding victory by 84 runs.

When chasing the target of 160, the New Zealand batsmen struggled against Afghanistan's bowlers. On the very first ball of the innings, Fazalhaq Farooqi dismissed Finn Allen. At a team score of 18, Devon Conway was caught by Ibrahim Zadran off Farooqi's bowling, sending another Kiwi opener back to the pavilion.

Adding just 10 more runs, New Zealand faced another blow as Daryl Mitchell fell to Farooqi. Losing three wickets in the Powerplay left New Zealand under immense pressure.

Captain Kane Williamson, often the savior for his team, also succumbed to Rashid Khan’s spin, scoring only 9 runs before his departure.

The Kiwi batsmen failed to build any resistance against the duo of Farooqi and Rashid Khan. Their batting lineup collapsed like a house of cards. Glenn Phillips, who scored 18, was the top scorer for New Zealand and fell to Mohammad Nabi. Apart from Matt Henry, none of the other batsmen reached double figures. Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, and Lockie Ferguson were all victims of Rashid Khan.

Fazalhaq Farooqi and Rashid Khan both took 4 wickets each, while Mohammad Nabi claimed 2 wickets for Afghanistan.

Earlier, when Afghanistan batted first, their openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran provided a solid start with a 103-run partnership. Gurbaz scored a flamboyant 80 off 56 balls, hitting 5 fours and 5 sixes. Ibrahim Zadran added 44 runs off 41 balls. Azmatullah Omarzai contributed a quick 22 off 13 balls towards the end. Trent Boult and Matt Henry were the best bowlers for New Zealand, each taking 2 wickets. Rahmanullah Gurbaz was named Player of the Match.