New Zealand 288 for 6 (Phillips 71, Latham 68, Naveen 2-48, Omarzai 2-56) beat Afghanistan 139 (Rahmat 36, Omarzai 27, Santner 3-39, Ferguson 3-19) by 149 runs
After causing a major stir in the 2023 World Cup by beating defending champions England on Sunday, Afghanistan briefly harboured hopes of upsetting the 2019 runners-up too. But the New Zealand brand of professionalism and experience came to the fore once more as they managed to keep their unbeaten record intact to make it four out of four in the competition.
On a humid Wednesday afternoon, Afghanistan’s decision to bowl first raised eyebrows, but it was their efforts on the field that hurt them more. Fazalhaq Farooqi found Will Young’s outside edge on just his fourth ball of the day but Rahmat Shah at wide slip failed to hang on to what was a regulation catch to his left. Young, on 1 at the time went on to score 54.
With Young struggling initially, it was Devon Conway who set the ball rolling with a few eye-catching fours. Young soon found his mojo as he lofted Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman over long-on. But the bowler soon exacted revenge, albeit on Conway, trapping the batter in front of the stumps. The decision referred upstairs after the on-field umpire gave it not out, went Afghanistan’s way.
Rachin Ravindra, who took 13 balls to get off the mark ,got a life on 0 when Hashmatullah Shahidi dropped a straightforward catch at midwicket. He made sure to make Afghanistan pay as he added a brisk 79-run stand for the second wicket with Young.
After a middling first powerplay, both batters opened up their shoulders. They targeted Mohammad Nabi, clobbering him for a six each in the 13th over before Young went after him again in the 15th. The opener soon reached his second successive fifty off 57 balls with a scintillating cut off Rashid Khan as New Zealand breached the 100-mark in the 19th over.
Afghanistan looked bereft of options before Shahidi turned to Omarzai and the medium-fast bowler delivered right away. Ravindra missed a cross-batted swat to find his middle stump flattened while four balls later Young fell courtesy a stunning one-handed take by wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil. Young pushed at a wide length ball outside off, but could only manage a thin inside edge. Alikhil’s anticipation was on point as he moved to his left and plucked out a one-handed stunner inches from the turf. Daryl Mitchell was then sent packing by Rashid as New Zealand’s innings turned upside down in nine balls.
The ball started turning that bit more, and the pacers also found movement. Afghanistan conceded only 29 runs in the ten overs between 21 and 30, which had just two fours and three wickets.
But, while all this was happening, Latham and Phillips held their own. There were a few nervy moments but the duo stuck to the basics well. It was the over after drinks when the two decided to take the more attacking route. Latham paddled Mujeeb fine past the stumps before Phillips took Nabi over deep midwicket. Even then, New Zealand could only reach 185 for 4 after 40 overs but two dropped catches turned the game their way.
Latham was put down by first by Mujeeb in the 41st over at short fine leg, before Shahidi put down a sitter at short cover in the 43rd, both off Rashid. And New Zealand took their chances. They wallopped 103 runs off the last ten overs to breach the 280-mark. Mark Chapman with an unbeaten 12-ball 25 did his bit as well.
Ashish Pant is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo