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During the T20 World Cup 2026 match between Afghanistan and New Zealand at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Finn Allen and Tim Seifert had a serious collision and a simple catch error led to Rahmanullah Gubaz making a huge mistake on the field and ultimately saving his life.
Matt Henry creates chance with Rahmanullah Gubaz’s poor shot in T20 World Cup 2026
What should have been a simple wicket turned into a lucky lifeline for the opener in Afghanistan. The horrific and costly moment occurred during the bowling of Matt Henry in Afghanistan’s third innings. Rahmanullah Gulbaaz tries to play a very dangerous big shot.
He walked off the field and swung the bat uncontrollably. The shot was completely wrong and the ball went high into the air with a thick top edge. The ball slowly starts to fall from behind the goalkeeper.
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Seeing this, three New Zealand fielders ran towards the ball. Even goalie Tim Seifert yelled for the ball and was in perfect position to receive it. To add to the drama, a sliding outfielder also ran back, but stopped after seeing Seifert getting ready to catch the ball.
Confusion between Finn Allen and Tim Seifert costs New Zealand
Just when the ball looked safe, Finn Allen sprinted over with his short, thin legs. Allen didn’t realize goalie Seifert had called for the ball. Allen bumped into Seifert at the last moment, knocking both men off balance.
As a result of the collision, Seifert lost the hook. The Black Caps have been left shaken by miscommunication and confusion among players, throwing a vital lifeline to Rahmanullah Gubaz in the ongoing 2026 T20 World Cup in Chennai.
— Drizzyat12Kennyat8 (@45kennyat7PM) February 8, 2026
Rocky Ferguson outsmarts Rahmanullah Gubaz with smart slow ball
Well, thanks to the ingenuity of Rocky Ferguson, New Zealand are finally rid of Rahmanullah Gubaz. Ferguson threw a slower pitch and changed pace at the right time. The pitcher rolls his finger on the ball and the ball moves slightly back toward the right-handed batter.
Gubaz stepped up to take a shot, but unable to understand the slower speed of the ball, his shot went away from his body. The inside edge of the bat was very small and the ball hit the leg stump, Gubaz scored 27 runs off 22 balls, hitting 2 fours and 1 six to end the innings.
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Afghanistan and New Zealand step up pace in war on green Chebauk
Meanwhile, the memory of New Zealand and Afghanistan’s last T20 World Cup clash is still fresh. In 2024, Afghanistan shocked everyone by defeating New Zealand in the West Indies. This time, the match was held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, where the pitch had a green cover and had good bounce, just like the old days at Chepauk.
Because of this extra bounce, New Zealand planned their attack around pace. They decided not to use wrist-spinner Ish Sodhi and instead replaced the team with fast bowlers. Matt Henry leads the speed attack, with Lockie Ferguson and Jacob Duffy supporting him.
Afghanistan’s fast bowling options are also strong. They selected Ziaur Rahman Sharifi and Fazal Haq Faruqi as their main fast bowlers. Seam bowling all-rounders Azmatullah Umarzai and Gulbadin Naib will provide additional pace options.
