After losing two matches of the T20 World Cup in 2024, New Zealand was relying on teams like West Indies and Papua New Guinea to win against the Men of Afghans. Currently, New Zealand don’t have any points on the board and their Net Run Rate is also lower than the top teams of Group C.
The Afghans even top the points table in their group and they also have a better Net Run Rate than West Indies. The two-time champions and the co-host of this T20 World Cup 2024 are placed second in Group C. Both teams have played and won three matches each. They have six points to their names.
The Afghans Bundle Out Papua New Guinea For Just 95 Runs –
Afghanistan has been a good T20 International side and they have experienced players who also play the franchise league tournaments of the shortest format. The Afghans also bowled well to bundle out New Zealand in their first match of this year’s T20 World Cup 2024. The Kiwis were all out for 75 runs and lost that match by 84 runs.
In this game against Papua New Guinea which was played at Brain Lara Stadium in Trinidad, Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bowl first. The bowlers from the Afghanistan side were spot-on with their line and lengths. They picked up three wickets in 2.2 overs and all these wickets fell on the same score of 12 runs.
The team of Papua New Guinea were in a spot of bother as only 3 of their batters had reached the double figures and the rest of their batting lineup was blown away by the bowlers of Afghanistan. Kiplin Doriga, the wicketkeeper batter of Papua New Guinea was the top scorer for his side with 27 runs.
Tony Ura and Alei Nao were the other batters who scored 11 and 13 runs respectively in this lost match for Papua New Guinea. From the team of Afghanistan, Fazalhaq Farooqi picked up the most wickets in this match. He got three scalps to his name while Naveen Ul Haq picked up 2 wickets and Noor Ahmed got one wicket to his name which helped Afghanistan to bundle out Papua New Guinea for just 95 runs in 19.5 overs.
The Afghans Reach The Super Eight Round After A Clinical All-Round Show In This Match –
Afghanistan gave a clinical show in this match versus Papua New Guinea. First, they bowled extremely well and then they chased down this score that helped them to progress into the Super Eight round of this year’s T20 World Cup 2024 which also knocked out New Zealand from this ICC mega event of the shortest format.
Afghanistan lost three quick wickets in a run chase of a small score of 96 runs, but Gulbadin Naib held the innings together with a score of unbeaten 49 runs. The bowlers from Papua New Guinea picked up the wickets of Ibrahim Zadran for a golden duck, Rahmatullah Gurbaz for 11 runs and Azamatullah Omarzai for 13 runs.
Afghanistan won this match by seven wickets and Fazalhaq Farooqi was named as the Player of the Match. He picked up three vital scalps to his name which helped his country, Afghanistan to bowl out Papua New Guinea for just 95 runs. In today’s fixture, the United States will take on Ireland in Florida at 8 PM IST.
