NZ vs AFG Ball by Ball Commentary

OUT! TAKEN! Fazalhaq Farooqi ends with a four-fer. Short of a length and on top of off. Henry looks to pull but top edges it to deep backward square leg. Karim Janat runs in and holds onto it. Afghanistan win by 84 runs and close to 5 overs to spare. Huge boost to their net run-rate.

A fuller delivery, outside off, stays low. Henry swings wildly and misses.

A yorker from Naveen-ul-Haq to end the over. This is on middle, Boult defends it out.

Naveen-ul-Haq goes slower, fuller and around off, Boult blocks it out.

Goes for the yorker but it is just sliding down, on the leg side. Boult misses his flick and gets hit on the pads.

Serves it full and around off. Henry chips it to long on for a single.

Touch fuller, outside off. Henry looks to drive but toe ends it to covers.

Bowls it full and around off, Boult drills it to long on for a single.

A single to end the over as Boult nudges it to deep mid-wicket.

This is full and just outside off. Trent Boult takes a big stride forward to work it away but misses and it goes through the gate.

A googly, sliding wide of off. Henry pulls it to mid-wicket for a single.

SIX! First six of the innings comes from batter number 9! Tossed up on off. Henry slogs it over mid-wicket for a biggie.

Very full and wide of off. Trent Boult eases it to long off for a single.

Too full and on off, Henry pushes it to long off for a single.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! As easy as you like! Rashid Khan strikes on the final ball off his spell and Afghanistan are one just a wicket away from a famous win. Rashid gives the ball air and bowls it on a nagging length, on off, Lockie Ferguson prods forward to smother the spin but it comes off the upper half of the bat and it lobs tamely back towards the bowler. Rashid Khan runs a few steps forward and takes the simplest of catches.

Serves the googly, short and on middle, it stays low as well, on middle, Lockie Ferguson gets on the back foot and works it off his pads through backward square leg for a couple of runs.

WIDE! Drifts down leg, on a shorter length, Lockie Ferguson misses the tickle. Wide given.

Quicker and shorter, outside off, Lockie Ferguson backs away way too far and misses out on the cut.

Fuller and at 84.6 kph, on middle and leg, Lockie Ferguson gets his bat out in front and keeps it out on the leg side.

Slips in the googly, on middle and leg, a bit short, Lockie Ferguson defends it away off his pads.

Tosses it up, full and on middle, Matt Henry gets on the front foot to defend. Gets an inside edge that rolls through square leg for one.

OUT! STRAIGHT THROUGH THE GATE! Mohammad Nabi has his second and the Kiwis slip further. Gets the ball to come back in with the angle from around the wicket, on a length, on middle, Mitchell Santner gets half-forward and plays for the turn as he looks to push it to the right of the bowler. It is the arm-ball from Nabi and it slides on to brush the front pad before going on to crash into the stumps.

Sliding onto the pads, on a nagging length, Matt Henry turns this one behind square on the leg side for a run.

Goes straight on, on a nagging length, around off, Matt Henry pats it to cover off the front foot.

Slower through the air and gets the away turn, on off, Mitchell Santner punches it with the turn to deep cover for a single.

From wide of the crease by Nabi, this is flat and short, on off, Mitchell Santner chops it down on the off side.

Bowls it on a short length, on middle, Mitchell Santner rocks back and whips it through mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Attacks the stumps and keeps it on a nagging length, Matt Henry gets on the back foot quickly and pushes it to the right of the bowler.

Drags the length back and it is around middle, Matt Henry goes on the back foot and plays it to mid-wicket.

Floats it up and it keeps a bit low as well, Matt Henry looks to drive but misses.

WIDE! Turning down leg, on a nagging length, Matt Henry gets inside the line to tickle it fine but misses.

Quicker and flatter, on off, a bit short, Matt Henry goes for the cut but the ball skids through to go under the bat.

Another googly but much fuller, on middle, Matt Henry is equal to the task as he presses forward to block it out.

Dishes out the googly, short and on off, Matt Henry covers the line of the ball and defends it out.

A successful over for Afghanistan! Tossed up, outside off, Santner looks to defend but does so inside the line.

Flat and outside off, Henry tucks it to long on for a single.

OUT! TAKEN! This is the wicket Afghanistan needed! They have one foot over the line. Two points closer are the Afghan boys! Too full and on middle, Glenn Phillips looks to go downtown but toe ends his shot to long on where Rashid Khan judges it well near the ropes at long on.

Ripper from Nabi! Bowls it full and around off, Glenn Phillips looks to flick but gets an outside edge to third man for a couple of runs.

Fuller and around off from around the wicket. Santner pushes it to long off for a single.

Tossed up on middle, Glenn Phillips mistimes his slog-sweep to deep square leg for a single. 50 up now.

An appeal for caught behind, Rahmanullah Gurbaz in particular is more interested but they do not review. Tossed up, outside off, probably the googly. Santner prods across to defend but seems to miss it.

Fuller and outside off, Glenn Phillips knocks it through point for a single.

FOUR! Welcome boundary! A half-tracker from Khan on middle and Glenn Phillips pulls it hard to deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

Leg bye! Tossed up on the pads. Santner misses his flick and gets hit on the pads. It rolls on the leg side for a leg bye.

OUT! LBW! Rashid Khan is on a hat-trick! Michael Bracewell looked bamboozled here. He has taken it upstairs though! No bat involved clearly. Ball Tracking shows THREE REDS! It is all Afghanistan at the moment! Flatter delivery, around off, again it skids through the surface. Michael Bracewell was clearly not ready here, he goes back to flick but misses and gets wrapped on the pads. Takes the review but more in hope.

OUT! BOWLED! The middle stump is uprooted! A scramled seam, leg-breaker bowled on the shorter side and on middle, just skids through and Chapman rocks back to pull but misses as the ball stays low. It goes past the blade and crashes the stumps. Two in two for Rashid Khan.

A dot to end! Three runs off it. Shorter, quicker and outside off, Glenn Phillips punches it to cover.

Easy single! Floated full and on middle, Chapman tucks it to mid-wicket for a single.

Tidy over so far from Nabi! This is full and outside off. Chapman goes for the reverse sweep but mistimes and luckily it went on a bounce to the the man at first slip.

Tad short and wide of off. Glenn Phillips hits it to deep cover for a single.

Angles in a full ball on off, Chapman works it to deep point for a single.

Tossed up, outside off, Chapman plays it back to the bowler.

Top stuff from Khan! A googly, quicker on the fuller side and on middle, Glenn Phillips gets inside the line and blocks.

A googly, full and around off, Chapman taps it to point for a quick single. The fielder throws it well wide of the keeper and it rolls away. Chapman then tries to sneak a single but Glenn Phillips denies and the former had to dive back to his crease.

Shorter and outside off, Glenn Phillips cuts it to sweeper cover for a single.

FOUR! Releases a bit of pressure! Full and sliding down the leg side, was the googly as well. Glenn Phillips whips it down past short fine leg for a boundary.

Fuller and on middle, Mark Chapman plays it to long on for a single.

OUT! TAKEN! One skipper gets another one! Rashid Khan, the magician has arrived with a bang! Flatter, slower and around off, Williamson goes back and tries to dab it away but knowing there is a slip, that was a risky shot, still goes for it but edges it straight to Gulbadin Naib who makes no mistake. Hard one for Naib as he takes it to his left.

Just three runs off the over. Beauty from Naveen-ul-Haq to end the over. Spears a length ball with an angle, just outside off and makes it to tail away late. Glenn Phillips hangs back to defend but is beaten comprehensively.

Just waits for the ball to arrive does Glenn Phillips and drops it to point for no run.

TWO RUNS! On a length and outside off, Glenn Phillips punches it hard and wide of the man at sweeper cover for a couple of runs.

A length ball, around off. Glenn Phillips plays it late and in front of point.

Slants it on a length and on middle, Williamson nudges it to square leg for a single.

A length ball, outside off, it lands and nips away. Williamson flashes his blade and misses it.

And again! Farooqi lands it in the channel on off, full as well, Glenn Phillips stays rooted in the crease as he goes for the drive. Gets rushed in his shot and he chops it behind the wicket.

In the air...but safe! Glenn Phillips is riding on his luck early in his inning. Farooqi pitches it up, on middle and leg, Glenn Phillips closes his bat face early as he looks to clip it away off his pads. Gets a leading edge that evades Rashid Khan sprinting across to his left at wide long off. Two runs taken.

Lands it on a hard length, on the off-stump line, Glenn Phillips punches it with a straight bat to mid off.

Almost dragged it back onto the stumps! Skiddig on, short of a good length, outside off, Glenn Phillips fiddles at the delivery without any foot movement. Gets an inside edge that sneaks past the stumps and rolls down to short fine leg.

OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Fazalhaq Farooqi gets the third over in his opening spell and he makes it count! New Zealand in all sorts of trouble. Farooqi angles it in from around the wicket and this is on a hard length, over middle, Daryl Mitchell hangs on the back foot to defend it with a straight bat. The ball nips away off the deck and catches the outside edge. Rahmanullah Gurbaz behind the wicket makes no mistake and sends Mitchell packing.

Good shot for no run! Farooqi bowls it full and on off, not much movement in the air though, Daryl Mitchell firms the drive but straight to cover.

This is bowled at 105.2 kph, coming in with the angle, on off and on a length, Kane Williamson advances and dabs it late to backward point.

FOUR! Kane Williamson cuts and cuts well! Naveen-ul-Haq varies his pace again as this is slower but too wide, short as well, Kane Williamson latches on it and slaps it over point for a boundary.

At pace and slanting in from over the wicket, on off, at 130.1 kph, Kane Williamson watchfully blocks it out right under his eyeline.

Rolls his fingers over the ball and it is on a length, on off, Kane Williamson defends it out with a straight bat.

Bowls it on a back of a length, on middle, Daryl Mitchell gets on his toes and nudges it to mid-wicket for a single.

A massive shout for LBW but the umpire shakes his head! This looks closer than the earlier call and Rashid Khan has taken the review again. Naveen-ul-Haq charges in from over the wicket and dishes it out on a good length, on off and middle, Kane Williamson plays all around it as he walks across his stumps. Gets pinged on the front pad as he misses to get any bat on it. There is nothing on UltraEdge but the ball is clipping the leg stump and it is umpire's call. A huge moment in the game.

FOUR! Edged away! Goes full and straight, at the stumps, Daryl Mitchell uses his feet to play it with a straight bat. Gets an inside edge as the ball comes back in and it races wide of short fine leg for a boundary.

Shaping in, on a good length, on leg, Daryl Mitchell fails to help it away as the ball brushes his pads and rolls to the keeper.

OUT! TAKEN! A soft dismissal and Fazalhaq Farooqi has now sent both Kiwi openers back in the hut in his opening spell. New Zealand up against it early on. Farooqi bowls it on a good length, on off, Devon Conway gets a stride in as he looks to push it through the off side. The ball stops in the surface, resulting in Conway going through the shot early. Plays it well in front of his body and chips it straight to Ibrahim Zadran at cover.

FOUR! Flayed away and New Zealand have the first boundary of their chase. Length delivery, outside off, Devon Conway plays it well away from his body and pushes at it with hard hands. Gets it over short third for a boundary.

WIDE! Takes pace off but gets the radar wrong as this is down leg, on a fuller length.

Leg bye! A loud shout for LBW but Rahmanullah Gurbaz looks the only one interested! Rashid Khan resists this time and does not take the review. A wise decision though as it looked to be going down leg. Angling in, on a hard length, Kane Williamson walks right across his stumps to work it away with the angle. Gets hit on the front pad and crosses over as the ball rolls on the off side.

Comes in from around the wicket and slants it back into the right-hander, on a good length, Kane Williamson does enough to get his bat out in front of the pads to keep it out.

WIDE! Errs in line does Farooqi as this is down leg, on a back of a length, Kane Williamson misses the tickle. Wide given.

Floats it up as he bowls it from wide of the crease, on off, Devon Conway knocks it back to the bowler with a good stride in.

Goes straight on, short and on off, Kane Williamson uses the depth of the crease and cuts it wide of backward point for one.

Fires it on the pads, short as well, Devon Conway goes back and nudges it through square leg for a single.

A big, big shout for LBW but turned down! Nabi slips this one in with angle from around the wicket, fuller as well, on off, Devon Conway gets down for the sweep but the ball is not full enough. It spins away past the bat and strikes Conway near the left elbow. Afghanistan look convinced and Rashid Khan sends it upstairs. There is nothing on UltraEdge but the impact is outside off on Ball Tracking. Afghanistan lose an early review.

Now then! Significant grip and turn! On a nagging length, on off, Devon Conway gets taken aback a bit but does well and dabs it on the off side.

Begins from around the wicket and tosses it up nicely, outside off, Devon Conway drives away from the body. The ball grips in the surface and catches the outside edge. It dribbles past short third for a couple of runs.

Uh oh! Sloppy from Nabi! Keeps it full and on off, Devon Conway firms the drive straight to mid off where Mohammad Nabi lets it through and concedes a single.

An absolute peach of a delivery! Serves it just outside off, fuller in length and it goes away from the left-hander very late, Devon Conway's head falls over to the off side as he tries to clip it away. Gets squared up as the ball zips past the bat.

WIDE! Misses the mark on the other side of the wicket this time. This is beyond the tramline on off, on a short of a good length, Devon Conway reaches out to cut but misses.

Two leg byes! Tries to make the ball shape back into the left-hander but gets the line wrong, full and on the pads. Devon Conway misses the tickle. The ball rolls away off his pads between short fine leg and the keeper for a couple of runs.

Kane Williamson is underway as are New Zealand! Pitches it right up to the batter, outside off, Kane Williamson leans on it and drives it through covers. The ball is in the air for a brief period but it goes through the gap. The fielder in the deep, runs and dives to his right to save a run for his side. Three runs taken.

Dishes it out on a fullish length, at 132.9 kph, on off, Kane Williamson gets his bat out in front and keeps it out off the toe-end of the bat.

OUT! CLEANED HIM UP! What a start for Fazalhaq Farooqi and Afghanistan! Farooqi picking up from where he left off in the game against Uganda. A golden duck for Finn Allen. Charges in from over the wicket and goes full, attacking the stumps. Gets the ball to tail back in sharply, Finn Allen clears his front leg and has an ugly hoick across the line. The ball sneaks past the inside edge and shatters the woodwork.