NZ vs AFG preview, T20 World Cup 2026: Tricky start awaits New Zealand against Afghanistan

New Zealand and Afghanistan arrive at this edition of the Men’s T20 World Cup on the back of contrasting results. While the Kiwis suffered a bruising 1-4 hammering at the hands of defending champion India, Afghanistan enters with momentum after upending the West Indies in a three-match series in January.

The sides meet at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday to kick off the Group D fixtures. This clash carries heavy baggage: it was Afghanistan which effectively knocked New Zealand out of the 2024 edition, a ghost the Black Caps will be desperate to exorcise in Chennai.

While the Chepauk outfield was recently relaid with an improved drainage system, the wickets remain untouched. Though not as sluggish as in years past, these strips remain slow relative to other Indian venues. Based on the recent IPL season, the average first-innings score here hovers just above 160 — a modest figure in an era of 200-plus totals.

Crucially, this is an 11:00 AM IST start. The lack of dew in the afternoon sun means the toss winner will likely opt to bat, putting a total on the board before the surface begins to grip and wear under the heat.

Spinners to dictate terms

The Kiwis will be particularly wary of Afghanistan’s world-class spin triumvirate: captain Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman. On a surface that rewards grip, this trio is primed to inflict maximum damage.

To counter this, New Zealand will rely on the initial impetus from Finn Allen. The right-hander was key in Perth Scorchers’ title run in the recently concluded Big Bash League season. He scored 466 runs in 11 innings, averaging 42.36, with a strike rate of over 184.

With Devon Conway, who knows this venue intimately from his time with Chennai Super Kings, and Tim Seifert and Daryl Mitchell anchoring the middle, Allen will have the license to go all guns blazing in the first six overs.

On top of the PowerPlay exploits, the NZ batters will look to disrupt the spinners’ lengths early and force Afghanistan to look for a Plan B in back-ups like pacer Gulbadin Naib.

Afghanistan’s middle-order trouble

While Afghanistan holds the ace in the bowling department, its batting unit remains a puzzle.

Opener Ibrahim Zadran has frequently been forced into a defensive shell due to a fragile middle-order. This over-reliance is starkly reflected in its scoring rate; since the last T20 World Cup, Afghanistan has scored at just 6.74 runs per over during the PowerPlay—well below the standard required on the global stage.

Jacob Duffy, who can move the ball both ways in favourable conditions, would come in handy to negate the Zadran threat. The pacer was one of New Zealand’s bright spots in the India series, where he managed to pick up six wickets in five games.

Despite these scoring woes, the Afghan line-up isn’t without its weapons. Rahmanullah Gurbaz provides the necessary fire at the top, while the experienced core of Mohammad Nabi, Naib, and the emerging Darwish Rasooli will be tasked with anchoring the middle overs.

In Group D—rightly labelled the “Group of Death” due to South Africa’s presence—a losing start could be terminal. Mastery of the middle overs, with both bat and ball, will be the ultimate differentiator. Whichever side successfully dictates the tempo during those crucial ten overs is likely to take the cake.

Published on Feb 07, 2026