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New Zealand are set to lock horns with Afghanistan in the fourth match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, with the high-voltage clash scheduled to take place at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday morning. With contrasting recent journeys, both sides will be eager to start their World Cup campaign on a positive note in conditions that are expected to test skill and temperament.
Afghanistan come into this encounter riding a wave of confidence. The side has looked sharp in the lead-up to the tournament, registering back-to-back warm-up victories against Scotland and the West Indies. Even more encouraging for them was their 2-1 T20I series win over the West Indies prior to the warm-ups, a result that underlined their growing strength and consistency in the shortest format. With a well-balanced squad and players comfortable in spin-friendly conditions, Afghanistan will back themselves to make an impact on the Chennai surface.
New Zealand, on the other hand, will be keen to find early momentum in their opening game of the tournament. They warmed up for the World Cup with a convincing win over the USA, which would have helped settle nerves and build rhythm within the squad. However, the Mitchell Santner-led side will be eager to put behind them a tough recent outing, having suffered a 4-1 defeat in their T20I series against India. That result exposed a few areas they will be looking to tighten up quickly.
As the two teams meet in Chennai, the clash promises an intriguing battle between Afghanistan’s confidence and New Zealand’s determination to bounce back, making it a must-watch early contest in the T20 World Cup 2026.
NZ vs AFG, T20 World Cup 2026: Match details
- Date and Time: February 8; 11:00 am IST / 5:30 am GMT
- Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
NZ vs AFG, Head-to-Head Record in T20Is
Matches played: 02 | New Zealand won: 01 | Afghanistan won won: 01 | No result: 0
MA Chidambaram Stadium Pitch Report
The surface at the MA Chidambaram Stadium is shaping up to be a fairly balanced one, offering something for both batters and bowlers. Traditionally known for its black soil, the pitch is expected to play better for batting in the first innings, with the ball coming nicely onto the bat and allowing stroke-makers to play their shots with confidence. Teams batting first could make good use of the initial conditions to post a competitive total.
However, as the match progresses, the pitch is likely to slow down, bringing the bowlers – especially spinners – into the game. The surface may start to grip, making run-scoring a bit more challenging in the second innings. Bowlers who vary their pace and hit the right lengths could find success as the game wears on.
In these conditions, a total in the range of 150 to 165 should be considered a par score, setting up an evenly contested contest between bat and ball.
Squads
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan (c), Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Shahidullah Kamal, Mohammad Ishaq, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi, Abdullah Ahmadzai
New Zealand: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy, James Neesham, Matt Henry, Devon Conway, Mark Chapman
Also WATCH: Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi combine to take a spectacular catch in PAK vs NED clash at T20 World Cup 2026
NZ vs AFG, T20 World Cup 2026: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- New Zealand wins the toss and bats first
- New Zealand’s powerplay score: 30-40 (6 overs)
- Netherlands’ total score: 130-140
Case 2:
- Afghanistan wins the toss and bats first
- Afghanistan’s powerplay score: 40-50 (6 overs)
- Afghanistan’s total score: 140-150
Match result: Afghanistan to win the contest.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: crickettimes.com
