New Zealand is assigned to close the horns with Afghanistan in his fourth match ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026with the high tension clash scheduled to take place at Chennai’s famous MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday morning. With contrasting recent outings, both sides will be keen to start their World Cup campaign on a positive note in conditions expected to test skill and temperament.
Afghanistan come into this match riding a wave of confidence. The side looked sharp in the lead-up to the tournament, recording back-to-back warm-up wins against Scotland and the West Indies. Even more encouraging for them was a 2-1 T20I series win over West Indies before the warm-ups, which highlighted 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, meanwhile, will be keen to find some early momentum in their tournament opener. They warmed up for the World Cup with a convincing win over the USA, which should have helped calm nerves and get the team in rhythm. However, the Mitchell Santner-led side will be keen to put behind them a difficult last outing, suffering a 4-1 defeat in the T20I series against India. This result quickly revealed several areas they wanted to tighten up.
As the two teams meet in Chennai, the clash promises to be an exciting battle between Afghanistan’s confidence and New Zealand’s determination to come back, making it a must-watch contest at the T20 World Cup 2026.
NZ vs AFG, T20 World Cup 2026: Match details
- Date and Time: February 8; 11:00 IST / 5:30 GMT
- Location: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
NZ vs AFG Head to Head Record in T20Is
Matches played: 02 | New Zealand won: 01 | Afghanistan won: 01 | No result: 0
MA Chidambaram Stadium Pitch Report
The surface at the MA Chidambaram Stadium turns out to be a fairly balanced surface and offers something for both batters and bowlers. Traditionally known for its black clay, the pitch is expected to play better for batting in the first innings, with the ball coming into the bat nicely and allowing batsmen to play their shots with confidence. Batting first teams can make good use of the initial conditions to produce a competitive total.
However, the pitch is likely to slow down as the match progresses, which attracts bowlers, especially spinners. The surface may start to catch up, making it a bit more difficult to score runs in the second innings. Bowlers who vary their speeds and hit the right lengths can find success as the game progresses.
Under these conditions, a total score of 150 to 165 should be considered equal, creating an even competitive contest between bat and ball.
Groups
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah AtalDarvish Rasuli, 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 for spectacular catch in PAK vs NED clash in T20 World Cup 2026
NZ vs AFG, T20 World Cup 2026: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- New Zealand go first in the toss
- New Zealand power play score: 30-40 (6 overs)
- Netherlands total score: 130-140
Case 2:
- Afghanistan wins the toss first
- Afghanistan powerplay score: 40-50 (6 overs)
- Afghanistan’s overall score: 140-150
Match Result: Afghanistan will win the competition.
