New Zealand cruises to five-wicket win over Afghanistan at T20 World Cup

CHENNAI, India (AP) — New Zealand avenged its loss to Afghanistan two years ago with a thumping five-wicket win at the T20 World Cup on Sunday.

In what is expected to shape up as the toughest group in the tournament with 2024 finalist South Africa also in Group D, New Zealand cruised to 183-5 – its highest ever chase at the T20 World Cup – with two overs to spare.

Gulbadin Naib, batting at No. 3 for the first time in T20s since the 2024 World Cup when Afghanistan knocked out the Black Caps from the race to the semis with an 84-run win at Guyana, smashed 63 off 35 balls as Afghanistan posted 182-6 after winning the toss.

But opening batter Tim Seifert (65) raised his maiden T20 World Cup half-century to overcome Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s twin strike that had rattled New Zealand to 2-14 inside the first two overs.

Mujeeb clean bowled Finn Allen and Rachin Ravindra off successive balls before Glenn Phillips (42) dealt with the hat-trick ball and then put the chase back on track by putting on an aggressive 74-run partnership with Seifert.

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan (1-36) also couldn’t stem the flow of runs as New Zealand continued to accelerate in the middle overs against the experienced leg-spinner.

Rashid broke the stand in the 10th over when Phillips exposed his stumps against Rashid’s full-pitched ball and dragged it back onto his stumps. Then Rashid couldn’t hold onto a sharp return catch from Seifert before the opener had reached his half-century.

Seifert completed his fifty in style by smacking off-spinner Mohammad Nabi for two successive sixes and followed it with a boundary before he was caught at deep square leg.

Mark Chapman (28 off 17 balls) and Daryl Mitchell (25 not out) then accelerated to get Black Caps home in the team's first game of the tournament.

Earlier, Naib struck four sixes and three boundaries and laid a platform for Afghanistan’s strong finish with a 79-run partnership with Sediqullah Atal (29).

Express bowler Lockie Ferguson (2-40) had struck twice when he was introduced in the last over of the power play and removed both openers, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (27) and Ibrahim Zadran (10).

Naib took his time, scoring 14 off 16 balls but needed only another 13 deliveries to raise his half-century as New Zealand struggled with its fifth bowler. James Neesham conceded 33 off his three overs while part-time spinners Phillips and Ravindra gave away 26 off their two overs.

England won the toss and elected to bat in its opening Group C match against Nepal at Mumbai while later Sunday co-host Sri Lanka is scheduled to meet Ireland in a Group B game at Colombo.

The T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, began on Saturday with victories for Pakistan, India and the West Indies.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Afghanistan's Gulbadin Naib plays a shot during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Afghanistan and New Zealand in Chennai, India, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

New Zealand's Jacob Duffy, third right, celebrates with teammates the wicket of Afghanistan's Sediqullah Atal during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Afghanistan and New Zealand in Chennai, India, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Afghanistan's captain Rashid Khan reacts after failing to catch a shot from New Zealand's Tim Seifert during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Afghanistan and New Zealand in Chennai, India, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

New Zealand's Tim Seifert plays a shot during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Afghanistan and New Zealand in Chennai, India, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Center-left Socialist candidate António José Seguro is heavily favored to defeat hard-right populist André Ventura in Portugal’s runoff presidential election Sunday, in a vote that will test the depth of support for Ventura's brash style of politics.

Recent opinion polls suggest Seguro will collect twice as many votes as Ventura in the head-to-head between the two top candidates in last month’s first round of voting, when none of the 11 runners captured the more than 50% of the vote required for victory.

But making it through to the runoff is already a milestone for Ventura and his Chega (Enough) party, which has quickly grown into a significant force in Portuguese politics during a wider European shift to the right.

Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. on a mostly overcast day and were due to close 12 hours later, when Portuguese broadcasters were expected to publish exit polls. Most official results are likely by 11 p.m. (2300 GMT). Some 11 million Portuguese are eligible to vote.

Seguro, a longstanding Socialist politician, has positioned himself as a moderate candidate who will cooperate with Portugal’s center-right minority government, repudiating Ventura’s anti-establishment and anti-immigrant tirades.

He has won the support of other mainstream politicians on the left and right who want to halt the rising populist tide.

In Portugal, the president is largely a figurehead with no executive power. Traditionally, the head of state stands above the political fray, mediating disputes and defusing tensions.

However, the president is an influential voice and possesses some powerful tools, being able to veto legislation from parliament, although the veto can be overturned. The head of state also possesses what in Portuguese political jargon is called an “atomic bomb,” the power to dissolve parliament and call early elections.

In May, Portugal held its third general election in three years in the country's worst bout of political instability for decades, and steadying the ship is a key challenge for the next president.

Ventura, an eloquent and theatrical politician, has rejected political accommodation in favor of a more combative stance. One of his main targets has been what he calls excessive immigration, as foreign workers have become more conspicuous in Portugal in recent years.

“Portugal is ours,” he said.

During the campaign, Ventura put up billboards across the country saying, “This isn’t Bangladesh” and “Immigrants shouldn’t be allowed to live on welfare.”

Although he founded his party less than seven years ago, its surge in public support made it the second-largest party in Portugal’s parliament in the May 18 general election.

In March, the winner will replace center-right President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who has served the limit of two five-year terms.

Presidential candidates Antonio Jose Seguro, of the center-left Socialist Party, right, and Andre Ventura, of the populist Chega party, shake hands before a television debate ahead of the Feb. 8 presidential election, in Lisbon, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Presidential candidate Andre Ventura, of the populist Chega party, arrives for a television debate with opponent Antonio Jose Seguro, of the center-left Socialist Party, ahead of the Feb. 8 presidential election, in Lisbon, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Presidential candidate Antonio Jose Seguro, of the center-left Socialist Party, waves to the crowd during a campaign rally ahead of the Feb. 8 presidential election in Lisbon, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Ana Brigida)