Match 16, Chennai, October 18, 2023, 02:00 PM
New Zealand
288/6(50.0ov)
Afghanistan
139/10(34.4ov)
New Zealand beat Afghanistan by 149 runs
Best Batsmen
R
B
4S
6S
SR
Best Bowler
O
R
W
Econ
Man of the Match
Glenn Phillips
Commentry
A comfortable win for the Kiwis. A lot to work for the Afghan team. That is it from this game. Time for another big match. India will face Bangladesh on the 19th of this month at 2 pm IST (8.30 am GMT). Do join us for the build-up early on. Cheers and goodbye.
Tom Latham says it is a pleasing start, they were under pressure while batting but the players did well to put the pressure back on Afghanistan. Tells they lost three wickets in a short span but he and Glenn Phillips managed to build a stand. Mentions Glenn Phillips took the pressure of him in the middle phase. Reckons Mitchell Santner bowled well and so did the seamers which is nice for their momentum and for the next game. Shares they have played some good cricket and is looking forward to the next challenge.
Hashmatullah Shahidi says their fielding let them down today and it is disappointing to see. Adds New Zealand scored a lot of runs in the last phase which didn't help them. Reckons the pitch was slow and spinning in the first innings, they bowled well but the fielding was the issue. Shares they are looking forward to the next game and hopes to show a better performance.
Glenn Phillips wins the Player of the Match. He says Afghanistan spinners are talented but his team did well to put some partnership. Adds he and Latham were looking for around 60 runs off the last few overs and later Chapman and Santner did the job. Overall, 250 was a par total. Reckons everybody are working for each other, there is experience and trust among the players.
...Presentation next...
Afghanistan knew what they were coming against. They started well but their fielding didn't help them today. Still, we feel if they took their chances, Afghanistan could have easily kept New Zealand around 240. Even with their batting, they could have shown some aggression but against the pace attack of the Kiwis, it was always going to be difficult. A one-sided affair to be fair in the end.
It was a tame batting performance. Not just batting but even the fielding was below standard for Afghanistan. The Kiwis took wickets at regular times. Azmatullah Omarzai and Rahmat Shah put on a stand but that never looked big enough as runs were hard to comeby. It was always looking dull for Afghanistan as once Azmatullah Omarzai and Shah fell, their batting felt like a pack of cards. New Zealand were clinical, Boult and Henry at the start. Mitchell Santner and Lockie Ferguson in the middle and the rest supported well. A really dominating performance from New Zealand.
A comfortable win for the Kiwis. They never looked in trouble throughout the match and once again they have won by a very big margin in this World Cup. New Zealand go on top of the table for now.
In over# 35
0W
0
0W
1
Mitchell Santner 39/3(7.4)
34.4
W
OUT! EDGED and taken! New Zealand win. Tossed up outside off, Fazalhaq Farooqi looks to drive, it turns away, takes the outside edge and the slip fielder does the rest. NEW ZEALAND WIN BY 149 RUNS.
34.3
.
Tossed up on off, Fazalhaq Farooqi blocks.
34.2
W
OUT! NUMBER 9 DOWN! Naveen looks to play the reverse sweep. This is slower, it goes off the top edge towards short third man where an easy catch is taken.
34.1
1
On middle, this is swept through square leg for one.
In over# 34
0W
0
4
0W
0
0
Lockie Ferguson 19/3(7)
33.6
W
OUT! ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST! Short and on middle, Mujeeb looks to pull but this goes off the top edge and Young at fine leg takes it.
33.5
.
Shorter and on off, this is pushed to cover.
33.4
4
FOUR! SLAMMED AWAY! Short and on middle, this is pulled past mid-wicket and it goes to the fence.
33.3
W
OUT! TAKEN! Rashid falls now. Afghanistan are 7 down. Full and around off, Khan swings, it goes off the toe end. Mitchell at cover takes it easily.
