New Zealand and Afghanistan kick off their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaigns with a blockbuster Group D clash at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium. This match carries massive weight as both teams eye a strong start in a competitive group.
The official fixture is New Zealand vs Afghanistan, 4th Match, Group D, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. It takes place on Sunday, February 8, 2026, at 11:30 AM local time (Chennai), which is 2:00 PM IST. The iconic Chepauk hosts this day game, known for its spin-friendly nature.
Chepauk’s pitch typically favors batters early but assists spinners as the day progresses, especially in daylight matches, with scores above 170 often proving competitive. Teams batting first hold a slight edge as the surface wears. Weather looks promising with clear skies, temperatures between 21-29°C, and just 10% rain chance, setting up a full game.
For New Zealand, captained by Mitchell Santner, this opener is crucial after group-stage exits in recent T20 World Cups—they need momentum to chase semis like 2021 and 2022. Afghanistan, led by Rashid Khan, stunned the Kiwis in 2024’s T20WC and aim to build on rising form against full members. A win catapults either side ahead in Group D.
IND vs USA Match Details
- Match: New Zealand vs Afghanistan 4th T20 CWC
- Teams: NZ vs AFG
- Date: 08 Feb 2026
- Time: 10:30 AM 5:30 AM GMT / 11:00 AM LOCAL
- Venue: Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium
T20 World 2026 Live Streaming Info
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 kicks off on February 7, 2026, and wraps up with the final on March 8, 2026. Hosted across India and Sri Lanka with 20 teams, it spans about a month—group stages from early February, Super 8s mid-month, semis late February/early March, and the final in Colombo or Mumbai.
- In India, tune into Star Sports Network (Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2) or stream on Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema.
- Pakistan viewers can watch on PTV Sports, A Sports, or Ten Sports, with streaming available on Tapmad and Tamasha.
- For Sri Lanka, options include SLRC, Channel Eye, and Siyatha TV on TV, plus Sri Lanka Cricket YouTube and Dialog ViU online.
- UK fans have Sky Sports Cricket, TNT Sports 1, and talkSPORT on television, alongside Sky Go, Discovery+, and NOW TV for streaming.
- In South Africa, SuperSport covers it on TV and via their app.
- Australia might check Fox Sports for TV and Kayo Sports for live streams.
- USA and Canada: Willow TV on TV, Sling TV or Willow HD app for streaming.
- New Zealand: Sky Sport NZ on TV and Sky Go app.
- Bangladesh: Gazi TV (GTV) and Rabith BD app.
- Afghanistan: RTA Sport and Ariana TV.
Rest of the world: ICC.tv for free streaming where no local rights holder exists. Subscriptions often apply, and VPNs can assist with geo-blocks where permitted.
How to Watch the Match for Free:
Catch every boundary without paying via these official free options, perfect for fans in Pakistan and beyond.
Pakistan: PTV Sports broadcasts all matches live for free on TV via terrestrial, cable, and satellite—no subscription needed.
Live Streaming Info:
The 4th T20 World Cup match will be live on Star Sports.
Live Score Info:
ICC T20 World Cup 2026: All matches on ESPN and Cricbuzz have live scores.
Probable XIs
NZ Probable XI: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (C), Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry
AFG Probable XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan (C), Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad, Naveen Ul Haq
Team Form
New Zealand enters on mixed vibes, beating India in recent T20Is and ODIs (215/7 vs 165, 286/3 win) but struggling overall with three losses in their last five. Spin dominated their prep, suiting Chepauk. Afghanistan rides high, winning four of five lately including series triumphs over West Indies (23-run, 39-run wins) and warm-ups vs Scotland (61 runs).
Head-to-Head
New Zealand leads historically with 3 T20I wins to Afghanistan’s 0 before 2024, though overall records show Kiwi dominance (avg 195 vs 145). Afghanistan broke through in the 2024 T20WC, posting 159/6 to bowl NZ out for 75—a famous upset. Last five: NZ 3 wins, AFG 1 (2024), 1 no-result/draw; recent momentum tilts Afghan with that stunner.
New Zealand Analysis
Strengths lie in explosive batting from Finn Allen (strike rate 189+, 234 runs last five) and all-round depth like Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips. Spin duo Santner-Ish Sodhi (287 T20I wickets) thrives here, backed by pace from Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson. Weaknesses: Top-order collapses, as in 2024 WC loss; recent inconsistency (L W L L L). Key man: Allen for powerplay fireworks.
Afghanistan Analysis
Afghanistan’s spin web—Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb (if fit), Nabi—chokes middle overs on turning tracks like Chepauk. Batting firepower from Rahmanullah Gurbaz (avg 49), Ibrahim Zadran (SR 119), Azmatullah Omarzai (105 pts avg last five). Pace from Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq adds bite. Weaknesses: Depth beyond top-four, occasional chases falter (lost to WI by 13). Key: Rashid’s captaincy and wickets; Omarzai’s all-round heroics.
Key Talking Points
Rashid vs NZ batsmen—he owns best captaincy T20WC figures (4/17 in 2024). Can Allen’s aggression trump Afghan spinners? Chepauk’s spin test favors Rashid’s attack over NZ’s, but Kiwis’ experience edges paper form. Afghanistan’s upset hunger vs NZ’s redemption arc promises thriller.
New Zealand’s balanced squad and Chepauk spin nous give them a slight edge, but Afghanistan’s hot streak and 2024 ghost make it close—expect NZ to win by 10-15 runs chasing 160-170 if they bat second. Form says Kiwis rebound, conditions amplify their spinners.