New Zealand and Afghanistan were once again placed in the same group, as were South Africa, the runner-up in this competition. NZ’s match against AFG will mark the start of their campaign in the upcoming 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. Both teams will be heading into the World Cup hoping to get off to a favorable start.

Afghanistan defeated New Zealand the last time they played in the ICC T20 World Cup. New Zealand were left baffled as they were knocked out of the ICC T20 World Cup group stage by just 75 runs. Mitchell Santner will lead them in the T20 World Cup for the first time.

This article provides detailed predictions for the New Zealand vs Afghanistan T20 World Cup match, including top performers, head-to-head records, key match statistics and winning probabilities.

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NZ vs AFG Match Prediction: Who will win the fourth match of ICC T20 World Cup 2026?

Competition details:

match: new zealand vs afghanistan

date: February 8, 2026

time: 11:00 AM (US Standard Time)

Place: MA Chidambaram, Chennai

live streaming: geohotstar

live streaming: Star Sports Network

NZ vs AFG match predictions, head to head records

New Zealand and Afghanistan have only faced each other in ICC matches; however, they are yet to play a bilateral match. The two sides have met three times in the World Cup, with both sides winning once. New Zealand won the 2021 World Cup, while Afghanistan last won the 2024 World Cup; however, the 2022 World Cup was ruined by rain.

NZ vs AFG Promotion Report and Conditions

The MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai is often called one of the best spin tracks in India. The batsmen also score good scores here as it has short boundaries and usually score 150+ in the middle order. The track doesn’t have much in it for pacers, but its turns and bounces are good for spinners.

NZ vs AFG weather forecast

The weather forecast confirmed that Chennai will record the highest temperature in all of India. Temperatures can reach as high as 33 degrees, and the humid weather makes it difficult for players playing in the scorching sun. The chances of drop shots are considered negligible and the match will last 40 overs.

NZ vs AFG T20 World Cup possible line-up:

New Zealand starting lineup: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Jacob Duffy, Locke Ferguson and Matt Henry/Kyle Jamieson.

Afghanistan starting lineup: Rahmanullah Gubaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan (c), Abdullah Ahmadzai/Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad and Naveen Ul Haq.

Throwing impact

Toss plays an important role at MA Chidambaram Stadium and teams usually choose to bowl first. With several spinners on both sides, either team will want to gain an early advantage by opting to bowl first.

form and fitness

New Zealand’s Rocky Ferguson recently returned to action, while Afghanistan, on the other hand, had no players missing the match due to injury. Rahmanullah Gubaz may not be included in the starting XI due to his poor form.

NZ vs AFG Score Prediction

Since New Zealand batting is strong, they bat first and are expected to score around 180, while Afghanistan, batting first, are likely to be restricted to 140+ in front of New Zealand spinners Mitchell Santner, Michael Bracewell and Ish Sodhi.

NZ vs AFG: Players make predictions

New Zealand’s main players: Finn Allen, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Rocky Ferguson

Major players in Afghanistan: Rashid Khan, Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi

NZ vs AFG: Top batsman predictions

New Zealand’s main players: Finn Allen, Glenn Phillips

Major players in Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi

NZ vs AFG: Best bowler predictions

New Zealand’s main players: Mitchell Santner, Rocky Ferguson

Major players in Afghanistan: Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi

Conclusion: Who will win the NZ vs AFG T20 World Cup match?

Team New Zealand may not be rated as the heavyweights of this tournament, but they certainly have the upper hand over the Asian teams, who haven’t been in great form in recent series. However, Afghanistan remains a challenging opponent and the game could swing in New Zealand’s favour.

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