CWC2023: New Zealand annihilate Afghanistan, move to top of points table

 

After giving  England the shock of stunning proportions, Afghanistan could not maintain the same high levels and suffered a crushing defeat to New Zealand.   In response to New Zealand's formidable 288 for 6, Afghanistan's innings ended at just 139 runs.  Afghanistan lost by a whopping margin of  149 runs.  The Kiwis went top of the league table with eight points from four games and toppled India on net run rate . 

 Shahidi won the toss and decided to field first.  But Afghanistan did not perform as well as was expected after the reputation they built against England . The MA Chidambaram Stadium wicket is known to support spin.   Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabira were expected to put the New Zealand batsmen under pressure.  But the Afghan captain practically ruined that chance by fielding first.

 One of New Zealand's openers, Devon Conway (20), did not get many  runs and was lbw to Mujeeb ,  but Will Young, the other opener, batted fluently.  He scored 54 runs with the help of 4 fours and 3 sixes.  Some pressure was created in New Zealand's innings as Rachin Ravindra, dropped at number three, and Daryl Mitchell (1), dropped at number four, quickly returned to the dressing room but captain Tom Latham and Glenn Phillips' 144-run partnership for the fifth wicket put them in good stead.  Latham scored 68 runs off 74 balls.  Hit 3 fours and 2 sixes.  An enterprising  innings of 71 runs from 80 balls came from the bat of Phillips.  He decorated his innings with 4 fours and 4 sixes.  In the end Mark Chapman played a quickfire  innings of 25 runs off 12 balls with the help of 2 fours and 1 six.  Naveen Ul Haq was the most successful of the Afghan bowlers with 2 wickets for 48 runs.  2 wickets for 56 runs by Azmatullah Omarzai.  Rashid and Mujeeb ur Rahman got 1 wicket each.  Afghanistan's cricketers missed  several easy catches on this day.  Their fielding was not up to expectations.

Chasing a target of 289 to win, Afghanistan's innings never got going.  They lost wickets at regular intervals with Boult and Henry looking threatening in  their opening spells .  After losing 3 wickets for 43 runs, the Afghans who showed surprise in the previous match fell under pressure.  They could not handle that pressure against New Zealand on Wednesday.  Rahmat Shah scored the maximum runs for the team.  His innings of 36 runs from 62 balls has 1 boundary.  Apart from this, Omarzai scored 27 runs off 32 balls.  And Ikram Alikhil remained unbeaten with 19 runs off 21 balls.  Afghanistan's resistance ended in 34.4 overs.

 New Zealand's most successful bowler Lockie Ferguson took 3 wickets for 19 runs.  Mitchell Santner took 3 wickets for 39 runs.  Trent Boult 2 wickets with 18 runs.  Matt Henry and Rachin got 1 wicket each.  Santner took Shahidi's catch on Ferguson's ball.  The Afghan captain could not pull properly.  The Kiwi spinner took an impeccable catch with one hand by throwing his body in the air which can be considered as one of the best catches of the World Cup.