New Zealand VS Afghanistan Played at Abu Dhabi on 7 November 2021
New Zealand 125/2 in 18.1 Overs (Kane Williamson 40*, Devon Conway 36*, Martin Guptill 28, Rashid Khan 1/27, Mujeeb ur Rahman 1/31)
Afghanistan 124/8 (Najibullah Zadran 73, Gulbadan Naib 15, Mohammad Nabi 14, Trent Boult 3/17, Tim Southee 2/24, Adam Milne 1/17)
New Zealand won by 8 wickets
Player of the Match: Trent Boult
Well primed New Zealand in their very important last match of super 12 clinically dispatching Afghanistan stormed into yet another semifinal (4th in a row) of global cricket tournament.
By this win not only Afghanistan was knocked out but also another aspirant tournament favorite India have to pack and return home empty handed after their last match today. World cricket knew that Afghanistan does not possess the required weapons in their arsenal to upset an well-disciplined Black Cap unit ably marshaled by cool like cucumber Kane Williamson. Batting first Afghanistan had little clue in dealing with fast penetrative Black Cap pace battery. They could master only 124/8 in allotted overs and that through a brilliant aggressive 73 by Najibullah Zadran. New Zealand cruised to victory scoring 125/2 in 18.1 Overs. There was no hurry. Playing fair and with positive intent Black Caps joined Pakistan for the semi final from Group B. They would play England for a place in the final while Pakistan would encounter their Tasman Cousins Australia in the other.
The match literally turned into a match winning power play as a defeat of the Black caps would bring into picture complex equation. A win of Afghanistan by a big margin would have created opportunity for them. Otherwise, windows would have opened for India (ICC Darling). A big Indian win against Namibia in the last match would have created the same situation of Group A . Three teams would have ended on 6 points. NRR would be deciding factor. But big Black Cap wins blotted all such equations.
Winning the toss New Zealand put Afghanistan into bat. Williamson cycled his three prong pace attack very smartly giving aggressive Afghan top order any breathing space. By the end of the first power play Shehzad, Jajai and Gurbaz were all gone .At 3/15 in 5.1 Overs Afghans were looking down the barrel. Boult, Southee and Milne looked lethal. Black Cap fielding as usual was sharp and agile. Afghans however, recovered through a counter attacking 73 runs in 48 ball brilliant innings by Najibullah Zadran. Mitchell Santner conceded 19 runs in an over. Other than that it was Black Caps all over Afghans crashing them. Afghan innings could not achieve sustained momentum for a challenging score. 124/8 against power packed well-drilled New Zealand batting offered them a cakewalk.
New Zealand was not in a hurry .The self-believing black caps went about the task professionally. By the end of the power play they were 45/1. Cool Williamson (40*) and inform Youngster Devon Conway 36* (Only batsman having over 50 average in all three formats now) stitching together unbroken 68 runs in 56 balls walked black caps into yet another semi final. With this win they have not only ended Afghanistan's semi-final hopes, but also those of India, whom they had beaten earlier in the tournament. The vaunted spin attack of Afghanistan however did not have enough run cushion for defending.
The comprehensive New Zealand win answered many questions those were floating around in social media.
If you want to know Khaleda Zia's medical team member BNP Vice Chairman Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain told Banglanews that the medical board will hold a meeting at noon to decide on the matter. Only then will the decision be made. There is a possibility of taking it home, but it depends on the decision of the medical board.
BDST: 1150 HRS, NOV 08, 2021
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