NZ vs AFG

3:55 PM local time and IST: So that will be all from Chennai! The action now moves to Mumbai for the 2nd game of the day between England and Nepal in Group C. You catch catch the action right here. For now, this is the pair of Shahan and Bidipto taking your leave. Keep following Sportskeeda! 

Mitchell Santner (New Zealand captain): "It was a good game. We knew that Afghanistan would always pose a threat and they did play a good game. But we managed to keep things under check and chase the total down. It wasn't the easiest of surfaces to bat on. But we got through the tight initial period, assessed the conditions well and played percentage shots. Assessing conditions at the different venues is key, so, that is a big thing for us, going forward." 

Rashid Khan (Afghanistan captain): "We didn't want things to be like this, but, we put a good total on the board. But the bowling wasn't up to the mark. The middle phase with the ball leaked runs. That is something to learn from here and move on to the next one. We've had those meetings and discussions about the plans, but, the execution has been off. We haven't been consistent with our lines and lengths. Bowling straight and into the wicket was the way to go. The batting has been really impressive! Rahamnullah Gurbaz and Gulbadin Naib got us the start we needed, and then Azmatullah Omarzai, Nabi and Darwish Rasooli finished it off. But there is another area where we can improve, and that is in the first six overs with the bat."

Tim Seifert (Player of the Match, 65 runs off 42 balls): "Always nice to get runs under your belt in the first match, but, more importantly, we got the wicket on a tricky wicket. It was about picking the right balls to go after. Targeting the right bowler at the right time is also key. Backing yourself after assessing the conditions is important in this format, and the quicker you do it, the better."

New Zealand chase down 183 to defeat Afghanistan by five wickets in a high-scoring contest.
Batting Highlights (New Zealand):
Tim Seifert 65 (42) | Glenn Phillips 42 (25) | Daryl Mitchell 25* (14)
Bowling Figures (Afghanistan):
MU Rahman 2/31 | Azmatullah Omarzai 1/40 | Mohammad Nabi 1/18
Chasing a challenging target of 183, New Zealand recovered well after early setbacks to take control through Tim Seifert, who anchored the innings with a fluent half-century. Seifert found support from Glenn Phillips, whose aggressive strokeplay through the middle overs ensured the required rate stayed within reach.

Despite Afghanistan striking back with timely wickets, New Zealand kept their composure. Daryl Mitchell and skipper Mitchell Santner then closed out the chase calmly, adding the finishing touches with smart shot selection and clean hitting.

New Zealand reached the target in 17.5 overs, sealing a five-wicket victory and capping off a confident chase after a strong batting display.

17.5 Azmatullah Omarzai to Daryl Mitchell, NEW ZEALAND WIN! Full toss around off-stump. Mitchell gets in line on the front foot and works it away to long-on to complete the single, required to pick up victory! 

17.4 Azmatullah Omarzai to Daryl Mitchell, SIX RUNS! Full toss on off-and-middle. Mitchell clears the front leg and whacks it from the crease, well over the left of deep mid-wicket! Is this is a fair delivery in terms of the height on this full toss? Yes, it is. So, scores are level. 

17.3 Azmatullah Omarzai to Mitchell Santner, full on middle-stump. Santner taps it off the front foot to the covers for a really quick single! It was risky, but Santner was off the blocks in a flash! 

17.2 Azmatullah Omarzai to Mitchell Santner, FOUR RUNS! Good length and around off-stump. Santner stayed leg-side of the ball and stroked it on the up with the open bat face to the right of backward point! 

17.1 Azmatullah Omarzai to Daryl Mitchell, into the pitch and on the fourth-stump line outside off. Tucked away off the back foot to the square-leg area for a single. 

A maximum to end the over as New Zealand only need 13 runs now in the last 18 deliveries. The maximum on the last delivery took off a huge amount of pressure from the Kiwis.

16.6 Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Mitchell Santner, SHOT! THAT'S SIX! Full toss on off-stump with pace on the ball. Santner held his shape and punched it off the slight forward press, from the middle of the bat, to hoist it over long-off! 

16.5 Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Mitchell Santner, FOUR! Short, slow and going across the left-hander. Santner went for the flat-batted shot on the up and cleared mid-off to his right for a boundary eventually! 

16.4 Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Mitchell Santner, Ah! Quite full on off-stump and just outside. Santner digs it out to the left of mid-off. The single gets taken but then, an overthrow from Nabi results in another run! 

16.3 Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Mitchell Santner, over the wicket, really full on off-stump. Santner drills it to the cover fielder from deep in the crease, but for no run.

16.2 Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Daryl Mitchell, short and slow outside off. Mitchell pulls on the up, but mistimes it a touch to get it down to long-on for a single. 

16.1 Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Daryl Mitchell, full on middle-stump from wide of the crease. Mitchell gets inside the line and clips it to the right of deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.