Black Caps are on the brink at the T20 World Cup after defeat against Afghanistan… with New Zealand needing to win Thursday’s crunch clash against West Indies

Afghanistan thrust themselves towards qualification for the Super Eight stage of the Twenty20 World Cup with a crushing victory over New Zealand at Providence, Guyana.

The 84-run winning margin has put Rashid Khan’s team in pole position in Group C with four points — and a massive net run-rate advantage that will feel like an extra point. It has heaped huge pressure on the New Zealanders ahead of their meeting with West Indies on Thursday.

New Zealand, semi-finalists in each of the previous three tournaments, are bottom of the group table, below Papua New Guinea, after collapsing to 75 all out when chasing 160.

‘It is one of the greatest performances for us in T20s against a big team like New Zealand,’ Khan said.

The bulk of Afghanistan’s 159 for six was provided by opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s punishing 80 from 56 deliveries.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit 80 from 56 delivered to set Afghanistan on their way to an impressive win

Wicketkeeper Rahmanullah followed his 76 against tournament debutants Uganda earlier in the week by sharing a century stand for the first wicket with Ibrahim Zadran, whose contribution was 44 from 41 balls.

Afghanistan’s first win over the Black Caps in T20 internationals was then sealed by their brilliant bowling attack. Left-armer Fazalhaq Farooqi took four for 17 from 20 deliveries while wrist-spinner Rashid replicated those figures.

Three Farooqi strikes in the power play left New Zealand reeling and the contest was effectively over when Rashid dismissed Kane Williamson with the first ball outside it.

‘They simply outplayed us in all facets,’ Williamson said.

Elsewhere, Bangladesh opened their tournament with a two-wicket win over Sri Lanka in a low-scoring thriller.

That defeat in Dallas all but ends hopes of progression beyond Group D for Sri Lanka and their English head coach Chris Silverwood.

Black Caps captain Kane Williamson admitted after his side had been outplayed in all facets of the game

After Sri Lanka set the Bangladeshis a 125-run target, they reduced their opponents to 28 for three in reply, but Towhid Hridoy hit 40 from 20 deliveries, including four sixes, to get them back on track.

The contest took another twist when Bangladesh slumped to 113 for eight, but Mahmudullah crunched the first ball of the 19th over, sent down by Dasun Shanaka, over the ropes and an overthrow from the last settled things.