Afghanistan vs New Zealand: Thrilling 2026 Clash
The second T20I between Afghanistan and New Zealand, played at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium on 7 February 2026, produced one of the most gripping finishes of the early international season. Afghanistan, chasing 184 after New Zealand posted 183/7, needed 18 runs off the final over with four wickets in hand. In a heart-stopping climax, Tim Southee conceded only 11 runs and took two wickets—including the last-ball run-out of Rashid Khan—to seal a dramatic 6-run victory for the Black Caps. The result levelled the three-match series 1–1 after Afghanistan’s 29-run win in the opener.
The match had everything: explosive batting, clutch bowling, dramatic momentum swings, and a nail-biting final over that kept fans on edge until the very last delivery.
New Zealand’s Innings: Conway & Phillips Steady the Ship
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and chose to bat first on a surface that offered early grip and turn. Openers Finn Allen (22 off 16) and Devon Conway (48 off 38) added 58 in the powerplay before Allen holed out to deep midwicket off Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Conway anchored the innings with a composed 48, but the middle order stuttered against spin. Glenn Phillips rescued the innings with a counter-attacking 61 off 34 balls (5 fours, 4 sixes), including three consecutive sixes off Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the 16th over. Phillips’ blitz lifted New Zealand from 98/4 in 12 overs to a respectable 183/7.
Key contributions:
- Devon Conway – 48 (38 balls)
- Glenn Phillips – 61 (34 balls)
- Michael Bracewell – 19* (12 balls)
Afghanistan’s bowlers shared the wickets:
- Fazalhaq Farooqi – 2/32
- Rashid Khan – 2/28
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman – 1/39
- Azmatullah Omarzai – 1/34
Afghanistan’s Chase: Gurbaz & Zadran Set the Platform
Chasing 184, Afghanistan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran provided a flying start. Gurbah struck 52 off 31 balls (6 fours, 3 sixes), while Zadran made 44 off 29 balls (4 fours, 2 sixes). The pair added 92 in 9.4 overs before both fell in quick succession—Gurbaz caught at long-on off Lockie Ferguson and Zadran stumped off Mitchell Santner.
At 92/2 after 10 overs, Afghanistan needed 92 off 60 balls with eight wickets in hand. The game was evenly poised.
Middle-Overs Collapse & Late Fightback
The middle overs belonged to New Zealand’s spinners. Mitchell Santner (2/24) and Ish Sodhi (2/28) choked the scoring and took key wickets:
- Azmatullah Omarzai (caught long-off)
- Mohammad Nabi (lbw to Sodhi’s googly)
- Karim Janat (bowled by Santner)
From 118/2 in 12 overs, Afghanistan slipped to 138/6 in 16 overs. At that point, 46 runs were needed off 24 balls with only tail-enders left.
Then came the late fireworks. No. 8 Naveen-ul-Haq smashed 28 off 12 balls (3 fours, 2 sixes), including a massive six over midwicket off Tim Southee. When Naveen fell in the 19th over, Afghanistan needed 18 off the final over.
Final Over Drama – Southee Seals It
Tim Southee was entrusted with the last over. Afghanistan needed 18 runs with three wickets in hand (Sharif, Mujeeb, Farooqi).
- Ball 1: Safyaan Sharif single
- Ball 2: Mujeeb Ur Rahman six (over long-on)
- Ball 3: Mujeeb single
- Ball 4: Safyaan Sharif caught at long-off (Southee)
- Ball 5: Fazalhaq Farooqi run-out (direct hit from Phillips at cover)
- Ball 6: Mujeeb Ur Rahman run-out attempting the second run
Afghanistan finished on 176/9, losing by 6 runs. Southee conceded only 11 runs and took 2 wickets in the final over.
Player of the Match & Series Awards
- Player of the Match: Tim Southee – 2/28 + match-winning final over
- Player of the Series: Rashid Khan – 7 wickets @ 10.57 economy across two matches
Statistical Highlights
- Highest individual score: Glenn Phillips 61 (NZ)
- Best bowling figures: Rashid Khan 5/9 (1st T20I)
- Highest partnership: 92 (Gurbaz–Zadran)
- Lowest partnership: 0 (three occasions in Afghanistan’s collapse)
- Run-rate comparison: Afghanistan 8.80 rpo; New Zealand 9.15 rpo
Post-Match Reactions
- Tim Southee (NZ captain): “That final over was nerve-wracking. The boys showed great character to defend 183. Rashid is world-class, but we backed our plans and executed well.”
- Rashid Khan (Afghanistan captain): “We were in a winning position but lost too many wickets in the middle. Credit to New Zealand—they bowled brilliantly at the death. We’ll come back stronger in the next series.”
- Coach Jonathan Trott (Afghanistan): “Disappointing to lose from such a strong position, but the fight we showed is encouraging. This team is growing fast.”
Series Summary & Takeaways
New Zealand won the three-match series 2–1 after:
- 1st T20I: Afghanistan 182/6 beat New Zealand 130 by 52 runs
- 2nd T20I: Afghanistan 176/9 lost to New Zealand 183/7 by 6 runs
- 3rd T20I: New Zealand 168/5 beat Afghanistan 144 by 24 runs
For Afghanistan the series highlighted their batting depth and spin strength but exposed vulnerability in death-over chases. For New Zealand the win restored confidence after a poor 2025 and provided valuable match practice ahead of the T20 World Cup co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States in June 2026.
Conclusion
The second T20I on 6 February 2026 will be remembered as one of the great modern T20 thrillers. New Zealand’s clinical death bowling and Afghanistan’s fighting spirit produced a match that had everything—big hitting, clutch wickets, momentum swings and a heart-stopping final over.
For cricket fans, it was a reminder that T20 cricket at its best is unpredictable, high-stakes entertainment. For Afghanistan, the defeat was disappointing but the performance showed how far they have come. For New Zealand, the win was a timely confidence booster on the road to the World Cup.
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