Summary

  • New Zealand beat Afghanistan by seven wickets to make it three wins from three

  • NZ captain Kane Williamson top-scores with unbeaten 79 off 99 balls

  • Aftab takes all three wickets for Afghanistan, who have lost all three so far

  • Afghanistan bowled out in 41.1 overs - Hashmatullah makes 59 off 99 balls

  • NZ's Neesham takes best 2019 World Cup figures of 5-31; Ferguson 4-37

  • Day-night match at County Ground, Taunton

  • Follow in-play clips & TMS commentary (UK only)

Live Reporting

Tom Rostance and Callum Matthews

  1. Comfortable win for NZ

    NZ win by seven wickets

    It was a rain-affected day-nighter in Taunton but New Zealand comfortably beat Afghanistan by seven wickets to make it three from three.

    Afghanistan were put in and made a flying start but then lost four quick wickets and never recovered.

    New Zealand then comfortably chased the target of 173 down to keep up their 100% record.

    Read the match report here, and read the best reaction below.

  2. Jeremy Coney
    Ex-New Zealand captain on BBC Test Match Special

    Afghanistan should have beat Sri Lanka. I think they'll look back and regret losing that game. The batting is the issue for them, they can't bat 50 overs and it doesn't give their bowlers enough runs to play with.

  3. Ferguson is the leading wicket taker in the tournament with eight. Team-mate Matt Henry is right behind with seven.

  4. Jeremy Coney
    Ex-New Zealand captain on BBC Test Match Special

    Lockie Ferguson has been very impressive for New Zealand. He's been straight and fast and used the bouncer well.

  5. 'Outstanding effort'

    New Zealand captain Kane Williamson: "I thought it was an outstanding effort. There is some world class players in the Afghanistan side and they got off to a very good start. It was important we stuck to our plans and took wickets in the middle overs. In the end it was a brilliant effort to restrict them so fair play to the bowlers.

    "It was a good first half for us, the fielding was good and it was an improved performance with the bat today.

    "It's nice to have three wins on the board. Every game is tough and we'll need to adapt to beat India."

  6. What's next?

    Afghanistan have a full week off now - get your heads around that scheduling - before they take on South Africa in Cardiff next Saturday.

  7. What's next?

    New Zealand next face India at Trent Bridge on Thursday. Wooof!

  8. Jeremy Coney
    Ex-New Zealand captain on BBC Test Match Special

    New Zealand are in a place where you would expect them to be. It was a nice gentle start to the competition for them. It is about to get tougher for them though and we'll find out in the next four matches whether they're going to reach the semi-finals.

  9. Afghanistan captain Gulbadin Naib: "We started really well and then we didn't take responsiblity. We missed out on length balls and gave away ugly wickets. Credit to the New Zealand bowlers.

    "We are not playing according to the plan, especially the batsmen. We put a good total on at the start but missed out in the middle.

    "Our fielding has to improve. There is a lot of work to do to go to the next lvel."

  10. New Zealand pair Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson are fairly high on the top scoring list so far.

    RunsOpta

    But it's Bangladesh's Shakib who is top after he hit a century in defeat to England a little earlier on.

  11. Mel Jones
    Ex-Australia batter on BBC Test Match Special

    We've got to start shifting the language about it being a fairytale story for Afghanistan now. They're an established side but they're being caught short in a few different areas now. Their footwork to pace and building on starts is wanting.

  12. Man of the match Jimmy Neesham: "I'm pleased with how the ball came out today. Afghanistan came out hard but we did a clinical job chasing it down. We knew that the deck would be bouncy which suited myself personally.

    "I just wanted to get back to what I do bowling. I had let a few external voices affect my bowling and I just wanted to be consistent, not worry too much about swinging the ball."

  13. Simon Mann
    TMS commentator

    A few of the Afghanistan fans are starting to give their side some flak now. They expected better from this tournament.

  14. Mel Jones
    Ex-Australia batter on BBC Test Match Special

    It was a magnificent start for Afghanistan. They went at a good clip in the first 10 overs but they lost four wickets very quickly and then it was very difficult for them to try and recover from that.

  15. Kane Williamson averages 67 in ODIs in England. What difficult conditions?

  16. Mel Jones
    Ex-Australia batter on BBC Test Match Special

    Kane Williamson was a bit scratchy at the start but by the end he was timing it well and that's a good sign for New Zealand.

  17. Handshakes all round. Nothing too much for New Zealand to get excited about, a comfortable win they were very much expected to complete but it's a 100% record. Three wins from three.

  18. New Zealand win by seven wickets
    Breaking

    NZ 173-3

    Fittingly a single from Kane Williamson brings the win.

  19. NZ need one to win in 18 overs.

  20. NZ 172-3

    Well bowled! Hamid Hassan ends the over with a well-directed bouncer and then a sharp one outside the off stump.