END OF OVER:
20 | 3 Runs 3 Wkts | AFG: 159/6 | RR: 7.95

  • Najibullah Zadran1 (1b)
  • Karim Janat1 (1b)
  • Trent Boult4-0-22-2
  • Daryl Mitchell1-0-16-0

9:10pm A strange innings which has finished with Afghanistan getting 159. Intent was not a problem in the powerplay (or the first ten overs) but the execution was from an Afghanistan perspective. Then, just after the drinks break, they clicked into gear, with Gurbaz at the forefront.

Gurbaz and Ibrahim registered their second-successive 100-plus opening partnership and that set Afghanistan up nicely. Omarzai, after the fall of Ibrahim's wicket, continued that momentum but once he departed, none of the others could really support Gurbaz, meaning that Afghanistan could not push up closer to 170.

As for NZ, their fielding was sluggish, especially at the start. There were several lapses, including dropped catches and missed run-out chances. With the ball, they held their own at different stages, with Boult and Santner being the standouts. Ferguson was not bad either. Henry, though, was expensive and their decision to hold back an over of Bracewell also cost them a few runs, given Mitchell was asked to fill in right at the end.

That said, Afghanistan will feel quietly confident of defending this total, just like NZ will be confident of chasing this down. This game seems to be in the balance, and that means we should have a thrilling second innings in store. Join us in a bit for the chase!

Rahmanullah Gurbaz: I think it is a very good total for our bowlers. I am happy with this total. The start, it was not easy, especially against the spinners. Happy with my innings as well. It depends on our fielding and how well we field. Our plan was to play Santner as well and we were happy to just take him for 20-odd runs. (On the pitch) I can say it is not easy. I hope we bowl well and field well.

19.6
1
Boult to Najibullah Zadran, 1 run, low full toss speared into leg stump. Najib has a swing at it and squirts it off the inside edge towards fine leg. Just a single to end the innings!

Najib out to face the last ball

19.5
W
Boult to Gulbadin Naib, OUT, holes out to deep mid wicket! Banged into the track outside off. Naib has a massive mow across the line but has to fight the angle from over the wicket. Cannot control the pull and he skews it towards Phillips at deep mid wicket, who gobbles up the chance!

Gulbadin Naib c Phillips b Boult 0 (3m 2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

19.4
1
Boult to Karim Janat, 1 run, full and zipped into the pads again. Janat swishes and misses and Afghanistan have to settle for another leg bye
19.3
1lb
Boult to Gulbadin Naib, 1 leg bye, appeal! Very full delivery that seems to pitch just outside leg. Naib plays all over it and the ball rolls away off the pads. Boult, though, is interested in the lbw and convinces Williamson to go upstairs. The key question here is where this ball pitched. If it pitched in line, it could be curtains for Naib. Ball Tracking confirms the ball pitched outside leg and Naib survives. Afghanistan get the leg bye too!

Naib in at 7

19.2
W
Boult to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, OUT, Gurbaz gets cleaned up by Boult! Sizzling yorker on off stump that Gurbaz does not have a riposte for. He is late in picking it and the ball whistles past his bat before it comes down. Looks on in disbelief at what Boult has produced but he is not the first (or the last) to be castled by Boult. A passage of play Afghanistan might not look back at too fondly, although this innings was of the highest order!

Rahmanullah Gurbaz b Boult 80 (92m 56b 5x4 5x6) SR: 142.85

Janat is the new batter at the crease. At the other end for now

19.1
W
Boult to Rashid Khan, OUT, Rashid sacrifices his wicket! Nails the yorker outside off first up. Rashid cannot jam his bat down in time. Gurbaz is hell-bent on regaining strike and almost runs past Rashid before the Afghanistan skipper decides to sacrifice himself to keep the set batter on strike. Easy relay to Boult and he takes off the bails at the bowler's end!

Rashid Khan run out 6 (8m 5b 1x4 0x6) SR: 120.00

Boult to bowl the final over. How many can Afghanistan get? Can Boult keep them down to under 165? Over the wicket

END OF OVER:
19 | 16 Runs | AFG: 156/3 | RR: 8.21

  • Rahmanullah Gurbaz80 (55b)
  • Rashid Khan6 (4b)
  • Daryl Mitchell1-0-16-0
  • Lockie Ferguson4-0-28-1
18.6
6
Mitchell to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, SIX, pick the bones out of this one! And watch out on the road too! Mitchell goes for a yorker outside off but ends up bowling a slot ball. Gurbaz bends his back knee to get under it and clatters it onto the roof over long off. Holds the pose too after that 105m six!

Can Mitchell close out this over without any further damage?

18.5
1
Mitchell to Rashid Khan, 1 run, slower full delivery outside off. Rashid, because of how slow it is, cannot get the timing he is after and shanks it to long on
18.4
1
Mitchell to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 1 run, in the slot just outside off. Gurbaz tries to hit it into next week and drags it towards deep mid wicket

Mitchell has come back well after getting hit for a six the first ball

Rashid looks fine as the physio comes out and performs the mandatory concussion test

18.3
1
Mitchell to Rashid Khan, 1 run, another off-pace delivery into the track on middle and leg. Rashid waits an eternity for it before swiping it off the top edge into his helmet
18.2
1
Mitchell to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 1 run, slower delivery dug into the track outside off. Gurbaz nearly swings himself off his feet and miscues it towards deep square leg. Gurbaz is livid with himself
18.1
6
Mitchell to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, SIX, into orbit! In the slot and guess what happens to those - they go miles! Gurbaz sits deep in his crease, swings through the line and launches it over long on. A 93m six!

Mitchell on for the penultimate over. He might look to take the pace off

CJay: "Has Williamson forgot Neesham isn't playing? Is going to need to have Bracewell, Phillips or Mitchell bowl one of the last two." -- He has backed himself into a corner, and what happens in that over could decide how many Afghanistan end up with.

END OF OVER:
18 | 13 Runs 1 Wkt | AFG: 140/3 | RR: 7.77

  • Rashid Khan4 (2b)
  • Rahmanullah Gurbaz66 (51b)
  • Lockie Ferguson4-0-28-1
  • Matt Henry4-0-37-2
17.6
0
Ferguson to Rashid Khan, no run, short and wide outside off. Rashid has another swish at it but is just a little late on the stroke this time. A fresh-air shot
17.5
4
Ferguson to Rashid Khan, FOUR, flies away for four! Sharp shortish delivery outside off. Rashid throws the kitchen sink at it and slashes it away fine past the keeper!

A batting promotion for skipper Rashid Khan

17.4
W
Ferguson to Mohammad Nabi, OUT, stop the press, New Zealand have taken two catches in two overs! Another attempted yorker that ends up as a full toss just outside off. Nabi tries to turn it to leg but closes his bat face too early. Spoons up off the leading edge and Williamson does the rest at mid off. Very soft dismissal!

Mohammad Nabi c Williamson b Ferguson 0 (3m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Nabi on strike now

17.3
1
Ferguson to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 1 run, into the blockhole outside off. Gurbaz shuffles across and tucks it off his toes towards deep square leg
17.2
4
Ferguson to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, FOUR, back to back fours! Juicy full toss outside off and that is not great bowling. Might have been a leg cutter that went wrong, although it does not matter to Gurbaz, who just pops it over mid off!
17.1
4
Ferguson to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, FOUR, four to start the over! Back of a length on off. Gurbaz dances down the track and lofts it over the bowler's head. Mitchell did put in the dive, running to his left from long on, but cannot stop the boundary!

Ferguson to bowl the 18th

Peter: "Out caught? No, that can't be right, not tonight..."

END OF OVER:
17 | 13 Runs 1 Wkt | AFG: 127/2 | RR: 7.47

  • Rahmanullah Gurbaz57 (48b)
  • Matt Henry4-0-37-2
  • Mitchell Santner4-0-24-0
16.6
W
Henry to Azmatullah Omarzai, OUT, Henry gets rid of Omarzai! Seems like a slower ball, bowled at around 127kph. Pitches on a full length on middle and off, tempting Omarzai to go inside out. The bat face, though, opens upon contact and he cannot generate the power he is after. Slices it towards deep cover point, where Ferguson holds on. A useful cameo, though, and it has given Afghanistan the continuity they needed after that opening stand!

Azmatullah Omarzai c Ferguson b Henry 22 (9m 13b 1x4 2x6) SR: 169.23

16.5
6
Henry to Azmatullah Omarzai, SIX, six more! Fractionally short on middle and leg. Omarzai reads the length like the morning daily and dumps it over the deep mid wicket fence!

New Zealand 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st0DP ConwayFH Allen
2nd18KS WilliamsonDP Conway
3rd10KS WilliamsonDJ Mitchell
4th5KS WilliamsonGD Phillips
5th10MS ChapmanGD Phillips
6th0MG BracewellGD Phillips
7th10MJ SantnerGD Phillips
8th6MJ SantnerMJ Henry
9th4LH FergusonMJ Henry
10th12TA BoultMJ Henry

ICC Men's T20 World Cup

Super Eights, Group 1
TeamMWLPTNRR
IND33062.017
AFG3214-0.305
AUS3122-0.331
BAN3030-1.709
Super Eights, Group 2
TeamMWLPTNRR
SA33060.599
ENG32141.992
WI31220.963
USA3030-3.906
Group A
TeamMWLPTNRR
IND43071.137
USA42150.127
PAK42240.294
CAN4123-0.493
IRE4031-1.293
Group B
TeamMWLPTNRR
AUS44082.791
ENG42153.611
SCOT42151.255
NAM4132-2.585
OMA4040-3.062
Group C
TeamMWLPTNRR
WI44083.257
AFG43161.835
NZ42240.415
UGA4132-4.51
PNG4040-1.268
Group D
TeamMWLPTNRR
SA44080.47
BAN43160.616
SL41230.863
NED4132-1.358
NEP4031-0.542