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As It Happened: New Zealand vs Afghanistan, 31st World Cup Match in Napier
Live cricket score and ball-by-ball commentary from the 31st World Cup match between New Zealand vs Afghanistan at the McLean Park, Napier on Sunday.
Vettori celebrates after taking a wicket on Sunday.© AFP
New Zealand claimed their fifth win in five World Cup games on Sunday with a six-wicket victory over Afghanistan at McLean Park. Catch all the highlights of the match here: (SCORECARD | POINTS TABLE)
Chasing 187 to win, Martin Guptill hit 57 and skipper Brendon McCullum a 19-ball 42 as tournament debutants Afghanistan slipped to a fourth defeat in five Pool A matches.
Afghanistan were all out for 186 in the 47th over batting first as veteran spinner Daniel Vettori took four for 18 to become the first New Zealand bowler to take more than 300 ODI wickets.
Najibullah Zadran top scored for Afghanistan with 56 while Samiullah Shenwari made 54, with the competition debutants having been in the dire position of 59 for six earlier in their innings.
Topics mentioned in this article
New Zealand Cricket Team
Afghanistan
McLean Park, Napier
World Cup 2015
Live Cricket Score
Cricket
New Zealand vs Afghanistan, 2015-03-08
World Cup Schedule
World Cup Points Table
Live Score
Martin Guptill
Daniel Vettori
Najibullah Zadran
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Live Score - New Zealand vs Afghanistan
That's all we have for today. Continue following the coverage of the Australia and Sri Lanka match going on currently. Until then goodbye and take care.
DANIEL VETTORI (Man of the Match) - Says it was good out there , there was a bit on the Napier wicket. Says it is normally pristine here but he was a bit more excited coming in here today to bowl. Adds that he is pretty used to bowling upfront and anytime is a good time to bowl for him.
The bowlers looked off colour today and did not bother the batsmen much. Shapoor and Nabi picked up one wicket each. Earlier in the day the Afghanistan batsmen disappointed yet again as they crumbled to a total of 186. Shenwari and Najibullah were the lone rangers who put some fight in the innings. In the end the Kiwis have got another convincing win under their belt. Vettori was brilliant and so was Boult who kept picking wickets regularly and wrapped up the Afghan innings.
The Kiwis notch up their fifth successive win of this World Cup. Chasing 187, the Kiwis got it done with ease and were never put under any pressure. McCullum got them off to a flier before he got bowled out in an unusual manner. Williamson and Guptill put on a 50-run stand as Guptill brought up his fifty as well. Good contributions from the middle order made sure the Kiwis got home without any hassles..
FOUR! Anderson gets the winning runs! Floated on middle, Anderson gets down on one knee and sweeps it to the mid-wicket fence for a boundary. NEW ZEALAND HAVE A COMFORTABLE 6-WICKET WIN.
Short ball outside off, left alone by Taylor.
FOUR! Taylor gets his birthday gift as the ball is slided down leg side, Taylor helps it to the fine leg fence for a boundary.
Taylor gets an inside edge to mid-wicket.
Pitched up on off, played back to the bowler.
Fullish outside off, reaches for it and plays it to deep covers for a run.