Waseem walks the talk, the Seifert-Allen duet and a toughened up NZ

New Zealand tightened their grip on Group D with a facile win over the UAE in Chennai. UAE put up a spirited display but were ultimately outplayed by New Zealand's openers, Tim Seifert and Finn Allen.

Prior to the game, UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem had spoken about the need for their batters to bat long. Waseem took it upon himself to lead the turnaround and, alongside Alishan Sharafu, kept the New Zealand bowlers at bay for a major part of the innings. The duo forged a century stand. While the final result was not what they would have hoped for, the batting gains from this fixture give UAE hope.

The India results toughen New Zealand up

In the T20 series preceding the World Cup, New Zealand endured a bruising time against India. Those were morale-sapping defeats just days before a global event. However, early signs suggest those experiences may have hardened New Zealand. They were unfazed after losing two early wickets in a chase of 183 against Afghanistan. On Tuesday, they underlined that resilience by not losing a single wicket while chasing 174. Facing what is arguably the most in-form batting lineup in the world appears to have sharpened New Zealand's approach.

Tim Seifert and Finn Allen produced a blistering start to the chase, sealing the game in just 15.2 overs with a pair of 80s. The strong start from the pair has increased the likelihood of Devon Conway not featuring in the XI in this World Cup. Allen and Seifert have firmly established themselves at the top, while Rachin Ravindra's ability to contribute with both bat and ball adds a dimension that strengthens New Zealand's balance.

Conway has struggled in T20 cricket for a while now, averaging under 30 at a strike rate below 130 since 2025. That decline has seen him lose his spot at CSK and go unsold at the IPL auction. With young Tim Robinson also having scored a T20I hundred last year, the road back into New Zealand's T20I XI looks distant for Conway.

What does the result mean for Afghanistan?

Defeat to New Zealand in their opening game meant Afghanistan were already reliant on favours elsewhere. This result has dented their prospects further. With UAE going down, Afghanistan's next hope rests on New Zealand continuing to win. Expecting UAE to spring an upset against South Africa may be a bridge too far. However, if New Zealand go on to beat South Africa and seal qualification early, Afghanistan's own chances will brighten. Before that, they will need to do a job on South Africa themselves.