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T20 WC: New Zealand to kick-start campaign against Afghanistan
07 Feb 2026

New Zealand will be looking to bounce back from their recent poor form when they take on Afghanistan in the opening Group D match of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup.

The match will take place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, where spinners are expected to dominate.

The Kiwis had a disappointing preparatory phase, losing 1-4 to India.

Here is the preview of the upcoming game.

Batters need to step up for NZ
New Zealand

The arrival of Tim Seifert and Finn Allen has bolstered New Zealand's top order.

However, the middle order's poor performance was a major missing link for New Zealand in their series against India.

New Zealand will also be hoping their bowlers return to form after a costly outing against India.

Spinners Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi are expected to play key roles in keeping Afghanistan at bay.

Afghanistan's spin trio could be crucial
Afghanistan

Afghanistan's world-class spin trio of Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, and Mohammad Nabi will be a threat on spin-friendly tracks.

However, if it offers true bounce, they may struggle to contain New Zealand's power hitters.

The opening pair of Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz will have a major role in determining Afghanistan's success.

If they get out early, the middle order could be under pressure to maintain a high required run rate.

A look at the pitch report
Details

Despite its reputation as a "dustbowl," the MA Chidambaram Stadium usually produces good batting tracks, especially at tournament starts when squares are fresh.

The captain winning the toss will likely opt to bat first on a fresh, well-prepared wicket.

The match, which will get underway at 11:00am IST, is scheduled for early in the day, so dew shouldn't be an issue.

One can watch the match live on the Star Sports Network and stream it on the JioHotstar app/website.

Here's the head-to-head record
Fact

As per ESPNcricinfo, New Zealand and Afghanistan have never faced each other outside the T20 World Cup in the shortest format. The two sides have locked horns twice in the tournament and claimed one win each. Their last affair in 2024 saw the Afghan team prevail.

Here are the probable XIs
XIs

New Zealand (Probable XI): Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Jacob Duffy, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry.

Afghanistan (Probable XI): Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan (c), Abdullah Ahmadzai, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad.

Here are the key performers
Performers

Having played 21 matches in the T20 World Cup, Mitchell Santner has scalped 25 wickets at a fine average of 18.72.

Tim Seifert's 559 T20I runs in 2025 came at an average of 50.81 (SR: 164.4).

Ibrahim Zadran owns the most 50-plus scores for Afghanistan in T20Is (14).

With 187 scalps at 13.59, Rashid Khan is the leading wicket-taker in T20Is.