Afghanistan showcased a strong batting performance, scoring 182/6 in their 20 overs against New Zealand in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Gulbadin Naib played a pivotal role in the middle overs, contributing a commanding 63 off 35 balls to lead Afghanistan’s innings.
The Afghan team faced early setbacks with Ibrahim Zadran’s early dismissal, but Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s quick 27 off 22 balls provided some momentum. However, it was Gulbadin Naib’s aggressive batting that stabilized the innings, with support from Sediqullah Atal and Darwish Rasooli.
Despite New Zealand’s bowlers sharing wickets, Afghanistan maintained a high run rate above nine throughout their innings. The late contributions from Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi further boosted Afghanistan’s total, closing their innings strongly at 182/6.
Skipper Rashid Khan will lead Afghanistan’s spin attack alongside Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi, with Ziaur Rahman Sharifi and Fazalhaq Farooqi providing pace support in the absence of Naveen-ul-Haq.
