New Zealand commenced their ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a commanding five-wicket victory over Afghanistan, as reported by multiple sources including the Daily Times and Al Jazeera. The match, held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, saw New Zealand successfully chase a challenging target of 183 runs, marking their highest-ever run chase in T20 World Cup history. Tim Seifert was the standout performer, scoring a blistering 65 off 42 balls, while Glenn Phillips contributed a quickfire 42 off 25 balls. According to TechJuice, this victory was a 'record-breaking chase' for New Zealand, surpassing their previous best of 167 against England in the 2021 semi-final.