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)

  1. dropped catch

    Hazratullah dropped on 18published at 7.2 overs

    This could be costly for New Zealand.

    The delivery from Trent Boult turns Hazratullah Zazai straight on and an edge flies to Ross Taylor at first slip, who can only get a hand to it and effectively tip it over the bar goalkeeper-style.

    First real chance for the Kiwis.

  2. How's stat?!published at 13:59 British Summer Time 8 June 2019

    Hazratulah ZazaiImage source, Getty Images

    Afghanistan have only been able to put up first powerplay scores of 46 and 37 so far in this competition. They are on track to motor past that...

  3. Afg 37-0published at 7 overs

    Hazratullah 18, Noor Ali 19

    Henry responds well with four dot balls ending the seventh hour. Largely due to a couple of excellent stops at cover and backward point by Jimmy Neesham and Mitchell Santner.

    I still reckon that might be the last we see of Henry for the time being. He's gone for 26 off his first four overs.

  4. Afg 37-0published at 6.2 overs

    Shot!

    Too full from Matt Henry and Noor Ali Zadran just clips it through mid-wicket for four. Too easy for the opener.

  5. Postpublished at 13:55 British Summer Time 8 June 2019

    Adam Williams
    BBC Sport at Taunton

    As someone who is somewhat more of a pedestrian left-arm trundler than Trent Boult, it's a bit of a treat to be sat watching this opening spell from pretty much right behind his bowling arm at the Pavilion End.

    Already evident that Boult is going to try and give himself every chance of getting movement in the air despite the big-hitting threat both these two Afghanistan openers possess.

  6. Afg 32-0published at 6 overs

    It's mainly been about Hazratullah Zazai so far but Noor Ali Zadran has hit two beautiful straight drives now. He's timed the absolute pants off this latest one.

    Trent Boult, annoyed by conceding that latest boundary, beats the outside edge with an absolute cracker off the next ball.

    A guide down to third man makes it six off the over.

  7. Postpublished at 13:52 British Summer Time 8 June 2019

    It's worth remembering that Hazratullah Zazai holds the record for the most sixes in a T20 innings with 16 maximums against Ireland.

    If he hangs around it could be carnage.

  8. Postpublished at 13:51 British Summer Time 8 June 2019

    Daniel Norcross
    BBC Test Match Special

    That was up in the air for an enormous amount of time!

  9. Afg 27-0published at 5 overs

    And again! Another escape for Hazratullah.

    This time three fielders converge on it but again the left-hand opener survives.

    Colin de Grandhomme may have got a hand to that one.

  10. Afg 26-0published at 4.3 overs

    Ooh that's a lucky escape for Hazratullah Zazai.

    He tries to hit Matt Henry out of the ground but it lands in between a running-back mid-on and a deep mid-wicket.

    They run a couple.

  11. Postpublished at 13:48 British Summer Time 8 June 2019

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

    That was a classic stroke, a very pleasant shot. Noor Ali Khan got a full stride in. This is a decent start but the question with Afghanistan is always the same - can they get enough runs?

    They need high 200s at least here, into the 300s.

  12. Afg 23-0published at 4.1 overs

    That's glorious from Noor Ali Zadran to bring up his first boundary.

    It's a bit full from Matt Henry and Noor Ali sends it straight back where it came from for a magnificent straight four.

  13. How's stat?!published at 13:46 British Summer Time 8 June 2019

    • New Zealand’s Matt Henry has taken 14 wickets in his past five ODI bowling innings, including seven thus far at this World Cup; his yearly tally of 17 scalps in 2019 is already his most in a calendar year since 2016 (22).
    Matt HenryImage source, Getty Images
  14. Afg 19-0published at 4 overs

    Another tight over from Trent Boult.

    There is a huge appeal from the left-armer and New Zealand from the penultimate delivery but Hazratullah Zazai got a huge inside edge on it.

    The opener has an almighty swipe at the final delivery but misses.

  15. Postpublished at 13:42 British Summer Time 8 June 2019

    Phil Long
    BBC Test Match Special statistician

    Rahul DravidImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    India beat Sri Lanka by 157 runs in 1999 - great kit!

    This is the second time these teams have met in ODI cricket - New Zealand won by six wickets in the World Cup in 2015.

    The last World Cup game played here in Taunton saw Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid add a then-record partnership of 318 for India!

  16. Postpublished at 13:41 British Summer Time 8 June 2019

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

    The pitch looks greener than usual, it's patchy. We know that the surface down here is pretty good, generally I've seen 350 runs scored here by Somerset. It is a short ground, nowhere near as big as Cardiff or The Oval where New Zealand have played so far.

    If the ball grips a bit it will be an interesting game. Mohammad Nabi has bowled beautifully so far for Afghanistan.

  17. Afg 18-0published at 3 overs

    That's a much better second over from Matt Henry.

    He gets one to jag back and it raps Noor Ali Zadran on the pad. There's a brief appeal but that's far too high.

    Two from it.

  18. Postpublished at 13:39 British Summer Time 8 June 2019

    Adam Williams
    BBC Sport at Taunton

    Fair play to the two volunteers who get the job of holding those inflatable globes with the country's flag on it during the national anthems.

    Both of them had to contend with sudden gusts across the ground in the middle of both of them.

    New Zealand's Tim Southee went up to the guy to his left to shake his hands and congratulate him on his strength in holding on once the Afghanistan anthem had finished!

  19. Afg 16-0published at 2 overs

    Good first over from Trent Boult, bang on the money throughout.

    After exchanging singles, Noor Ali squirts through the covers for a couple.

    Good start from Afghanistan, this.

  20. Postpublished at 13:35 British Summer Time 8 June 2019

    Boult's rapid left-armers are going to get us under way with the second new ball.

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post