The fourth match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Group D features a crucial encounter between New Zealand and Afghanistan at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Afghanistan enters this contest with tremendous momentum, having won their warm-up match against West Indies by 23 runs and clinching the recent T20I series in UAE against the same opposition 2-1.
New Zealand, despite strong batting performances, lost their preparatory series to India 4-1 but bounced back with a narrow 7-run victory over USA in their warm-up fixture.
This opening match will set the tone for both teams’ World Cup campaigns, making it a high-stakes battle where Afghanistan’s spin prowess meets New Zealand’s all-round depth on Chennai’s traditionally spin-friendly surface.
New Zealand vs Afghanistan Match Betting Odds
Here are the latest betting odds from top bookmakers for the NZ vs AFG clash:
| Betting Site | NZ Win Odds | AFG Win Odds | NZ Toss Odds | AFG Toss Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1xbet | 1.75 | 2.10 | 1.90 | 1.90 |
| 10CRIC | 1.72 | 2.15 | 1.85 | 1.95 |
| Betway | 1.78 | 2.05 | 1.88 | 1.92 |
| Bet365 | 1.73 | 2.12 | 1.87 | 1.93 |
NZ vs AFG Match Details – T20 World Cup 2026
Key information for the New Zealand vs Afghanistan Group D encounter:
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Match | NZ vs AFG, 4th Match, Group D |
| Tournament | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 |
| Date | Sunday, February 8, 2026 |
| Time | 11:00 AM LOCAL / 5:30 AM GMT |
| Venue | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| Capacity | 50,000 |
| Ends | Anna Pavilion End, V Pattabhiraman Gate End |
Pitch Report Of MA Chidambaram Stadium
The historic Chepauk pitch is expected to favor spinners as the match progresses:
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch Behavior | Spin-friendly surface, slows down as match progresses |
| Batting Assistance | Good for batting in first 6-8 overs, becomes challenging later |
| Bowling Assistance | Heavily favors spinners; 9 of top 10 wicket-takers are spinners |
| Ground Dimensions | Standard international dimensions, 50,000 capacity |
| Average Score | 1st innings: 151, 2nd innings: 127 |
| Toss & Dew Factor | Batting first is advantageous (6 wins batting first vs 3 bowling first) |
Weather Forecast For Chennai
Current weather conditions for match day in Chennai:
| Aspect | Forecast |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 28°C (82°F) |
| Weather | Mostly Sunny |
| Precipitation | 5% |
| Humidity | 61% |
| Wind | 14 km/h |
New Zealand vs Afghanistan Head-to-Head Record In T20Is
The two teams are evenly matched in their limited T20I encounters:
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% |
| New Zealand | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% |
New Zealand vs Afghanistan Playing XI & Squads
Complete squad lists for both teams competing in this Group D fixture:
Afghanistan Squad: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan (c), Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Shahidullah Kamal, Mohammad Ishaq, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi, Abdullah Ahmadzai.
New Zealand Squad: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy, James Neesham, Matt Henry, Devon Conway, Mark Chapman.
Suggested Reads:
Key Players To Watch – NZ vs AFG T20 World Cup Match
Players who could determine the outcome of this crucial Group D encounter:
| Player Name | Team | Stats & Recent Form |
|---|---|---|
| Rashid Khan | Afghanistan | 187 T20I wickets at 13.59 average; leading wicket-taker in T20I history, crucial on spin-friendly Chepauk |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Afghanistan | 2,143 runs in 83 T20I matches at a strike rate of 134.27; strike rate above 140; key to Afghanistan’s powerplay dominance |
| Glenn Phillips | New Zealand | 2,100 runs at an average of 31.42 and a high strike rate of 141.56, including two centuries and 52 catches |
| Mitchell Santner | New Zealand | Captain and frontline spinner with 127 T20I wickets; economical on Chennai’s turning tracks |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | Afghanistan | Rising all-rounder; scored 200+ runs at 150 SR in recent UAE series vs West Indies |
| Rachin Ravindra | New Zealand | 630 runs at a 135.48 strike rate with 3 fifties and 14 wickets. |
