In a thrilling encounter, New Zealand continued their impressive form in the ICC World Cup 2023, clinching victory over Afghanistan by a substantial 149-run margin. This win marked their fourth consecutive triumph in the tournament, allowing them to claim the coveted top position on the points table.
Opting to bowl after winning the toss, Afghanistan set out to contain the Kiwis. New Zealand managed to post a competitive total of 288 runs, losing six wickets in their allotted 50 overs. Tom Latham led the charge with a solid 68 runs, ably supported by Glenn Phillips, who contributed 71 runs.
However, New Zealand’s innings faced early setbacks, with four key wickets falling as the team reached a total of just 110 runs. Openers Devon Conway (20 runs) and Will Young (54 runs) were dismissed by Mujibur Rahman and Azmatullah Umarzai. Furthermore, Rashid Khan sent Daryl Mitchell back to the pavilion after he could manage only one run.
After the early jolts, it was the captain, Tom Latham, and Glenn Phillips who took the reins and responsibly rebuilt the innings. Their remarkable partnership of 144 runs, during which both players also reached their half-centuries, steadied New Zealand’s ship. Nevertheless, the partnership came to an end when Tom Latham was dismissed after contributing 68 runs, and Glenn Phillips followed suit after scoring 71 runs. In the final overs, Chapman remained unbeaten with 25 runs, and Santner added 7 runs to the total. Consequently, New Zealand concluded their innings at 288/6.
Afghanistan’s chase proved to be an uphill battle, with their batting lineup succumbing to New Zealand’s proficient bowlers. No Afghan batsman could withstand the Kiwi attack, leading to a continuous loss of wickets. Rahmat Shah emerged as the highest scorer for Afghanistan with 36 runs, while Azmatullah Omarzai contributed 27 runs. The rest of the batting order struggled, with none of the players making a significant impact. Afghanistan was eventually bowled out for just 139 runs in 34.4 overs, failing to reach New Zealand’s target of 289 runs.
For New Zealand, Mitchell Santner and Lockie Ferguson shone with the ball, taking three wickets each, while Trent Boult picked up two wickets, and Matt Henry and Rachin Ravindra claimed one wicket apiece.
The outcome of the match saw New Zealand maintain their perfect record in the World Cup, winning all four matches played thus far. In contrast, Afghanistan secured only one win out of their four matches, facing defeat in three.
In an interview on the Dafa News Cricket Show, Zimbabwe national player and coach Tasmin Granger shared remarkable statistics underlining New Zealand›s exceptional performance in the ICC World Cup 2023. She said, “New Zealand›s undefeated Asia streak continued, Mitch Santner reached 100 ODI wickets, Tom Latham›s fifth 50 in 2023 made him second for most 50s by a Kiwi in ODIs this year. Brendon McCullum equaled the record for most 50 scores (3) by an NZ wicketkeeper in the World Cup. Glenn Phillips hit his third ODI 50 in 2023. Daryl Mitchell struggled with just one run, New Zealand›s strong death overs performance ranked second in the tournament, and seven Kiwi players scored 50s, the most in any team. Afghanistan posted their World Cup low of 139 runs. New Zealand cements its status as a top contender, while Afghanistan faces a tough journey to the knockout stages.”
