New Zealand achieved a historic victory against Afghanistan in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, marking their highest-ever run chase in the tournament's history. According to Dawn, Tim Seifert played a pivotal role, scoring a 'blistering 65 off 42 balls' to lead New Zealand to a five-wicket win. The match, held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, saw Afghanistan set a target of 183 runs, with their innings highlighted by Naib's 63 runs. Despite early setbacks, including losing two wickets in the second over to Afghanistan's Mujeeb Ur Rahman, New Zealand's Seifert and Glenn Phillips, who scored 42, formed a crucial 74-run partnership that helped them reach the target with 13 balls to spare (The Hindu). This victory was particularly significant as it avenged New Zealand's loss to Afghanistan in the 2024 edition, where they were defeated by 84 runs (ESPN Cricinfo).