🏏 Afghanistan Win Toss and Choose to Bat Against New Zealand at T20 World Cup 2026

 T20 World Cup 2026 — Afghanistan vs New Zealand

CHENNAI, India — February 8, 2026 — In a thrilling Group D encounter of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first against New Zealand at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

This match took place in what many cricket experts are calling the “Group of Death”, featuring strong teams including South Africa, Canada, and the UAE — with only two teams progressing to the Super 8 stage.

Afghanistan entered the game at full strength, led by their dynamic captain Rashid Khan, who is on the verge of making T20 history. With only a few wickets needed to reach 700 career T20 wickets, Rashid’s leadership and spin attack are a major asset for the Afghan side.

At the toss, Rashid opted to bat, hoping his team could post a competitive total on a pitch that might favour spin later in the day. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner believed his seam attack — including Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, and Jacob Duffy — could exploit morning conditions.

🔥 Afghanistan Bat First — Strong Start
🏆 New Zealand Chase It Down

Batting first, Afghanistan posted a solid score of 182/6 in their 20 overs, powered by a brilliant innings from Gulbadin Naib, who scored 63 runs off 35 balls. Despite early setbacks losing both openers, Naib and Sediqullah Atal steadied the innings to set a challenging target.

In response, New Zealand chased the total successfully, winning the match by 5 wickets with 13 balls to spare. Opener Tim Seifert (65 off 42) and middle-order batsman Glenn Phillips (42 off 25) led an impressive run chase to secure victory in this high-pressure World Cup game.

This exciting match was one of the standout clashes on Day 2 of the tournament, which has also seen victories for big teams like India, Pakistan and West Indies. 

• T20 World Cup 2026 match review
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• ICC T20 World Cup Group D Chenna