Live coverage has concluded, please click here for the full match wrap.
Afghanistan: 124/8, 20 overs - Najibullah 73
NZ 125/2, 18.1 overs - Williamson 40* Conway 36*
2:02am - NZ WIN BY EIGHT WICKETS
Gulbadin to bowl. NZ need one to win. Conway on strike.
18.1 - There it is. Conway pushes one more down the ground, and the Blackcaps win by eight wickets!
NZ 125/2
2:01am - 18 overs
Naveen back into the attack.
17.1 - Williamson runs at him, and carves one out to the extra-cover boundary for two more.
17.2 - Short ball, Williamson can't time his punch off the back foot.
17.3 - Williamson dabs one into the off-side for one more.
17.4 - Conway on strike, one shot can do it here. He clips off his pads out to midwicket for one.
17.5 - Williamson drives and gets a single to cover.
17.6 - Conway's hit on the pad outside leg, and runs a leg bye. Scores level.
NZ 124/2
1:57am - 17 overs
Mujeeb to bowl his final over.
16.1 - Williamson advances and drives to the cover boundary for one.
16.2 - Conway runs at Mujeeb, and drives straight back past the bowler for four all along the ground!
16.3 - Conway sweeps, and is beaten and hit on the pad. No chance of lbw though, the ball's going down leg.
16.4 - Wide down leg from Mujeeb.
16.4 - Conway reverse sweeps out to deep point and they run back for two more.
16.5 - Less than 10 to win now. Conway advances again, but can't time the ball. No run.
16.6 - Conway turns out to wide long on, and they run two again.
NZ 118/2
1:53am - 16 overs
Hamid comes back, Williamson on strike.
15.1 - Williamson plays a dab down to third man for one.
15.2 - Conway charges and looks to play through point, but misses.
15.3 - Conway pulls straight to midwicket, chance of an overthrow, but no run.
15.4 - Conway pulls again, and he's hit in the chest. The batters run a leg bye.
15.5 - Full toss, Williamson drives through cover for four! That's the 50 partnership.
15.6 - Williamson defends, and steals one to square leg to end the over.
NZ 108/2
1:48am - 15 overs
Rashid Khan to bowl out, can he give Afghanistan a glimmer of hope with some wickets?
14.1 - Conway on strike. Conway reverse sweeps and gets four more behind square on the off-side!
14.2 - Conway goes back and works one off his pads out to midwicket for one more.
14.3 - Williamson drives down the ground for one to long on.
14.4 - Conway sweeps and gets a top edge, but gets lucky as the ball falls in open space. One run.
14.5 - Williamson turns a wrongun to short fine leg for one.
14.6 - Conway sweeps and gets another top edge that evades short fine leg. They run back for two and raise the 100.
NZ 101/2
1:44am - 14 overs
Nabi comes back to bowl his last.
13.1 - Conway advances and lofts Nabi over cover, and runs back for two.
13.2 - Conway gets on one knee and sweeps behind square for four down to fine leg.
13.3 - Sweeps in front of square this time, and beats the fielder for four more!
13.4 - Reverse sweep from Conway! He gets one to third man.
13.5 - Williamson goes back and dabs a single to point.
13.6 - Conway stands tall and drives out to cover for a single.
NZ 91/2
1:41am - 13 overs
Gulbadin comes into the attack. Hamid being saved for later?
12.1 - Williamson goes back and cross bat slaps one down to long-on.
12.2 - Short to Conway, and he pulls one out to deep square leg for one more.
12.3 - Short, and Williamson punches one to deep point. One run.
12.4 - Conway drives straight, just missing the stumps at the bowler's end, and runs one.
12.5 - Full, and Williamson beautifully drives through cover for four!
12.6 - Slower ball, Williamson steers to backward point. No run.
NZ 78/2
1:36am - 12 overs
Rashid swaps ends. Williamson on strike.
11.1 - Wrongun, Williamson goes back and works to midwicket for one.
11.2 - Conway faces up. He defends and steals one to short third man.
11.3 - Williamson goes back and whips Rashid through midwicket for four!
11.4 - Williamson defends and Conway runs through for one to short third man.
11.5 - Conway pushes one to short midwicket, but can't beat the fielder. No run.
11.6 - Conway edges onto his pad. No run to finish the over.
NZ 70/2
1:31am - 11 overs
We're back after drinks. Hamid returns to bowl at Conway.
10.1 - Starts on the stumps, Conway defends. No run.
10.2 - Conway's hit on the pad, no lbw chance. No run.
10.3 - Hamid comes around the wicket. He beats Conway with a beauty. No run.
10.4 - Conway defends to point. Four dots in a row.
10.5 - Conway drives to mid-off and gets one.
10.6 - Williamson gets one with a back foot punch out to deep point.
NZ 63/2
1:24am - 10 overs
Nabi continues.
9.1 - Pitches one on Conway's pads, and is worked to midwicket for one.
9.2 - Fullm and Williamson defends back to the bowler. No run.
9.3 - Williamson defends with the spin, straight to short midwicket. No run.
9.4 - Williamson looks to late cut, but doesn't beat third man.
9.5 - Williamson defends back to Nabi again. No run.
9.6 - Williamson drives to cover, and they run back for two.
NZ 61/2
1:21am - 9 overs
Exactly a run a ball needed. Rashid continues.
8.1 - And he starts with a wide down leg.
8.1 - Williamson defends, and gets a controlled edge to third man for one.
8.2 - Short, and Guptill gets down on one knee to pull out to deep square leg for one more.
8.3 - Williamson goes back and punches past a diving Rashid for one more to long-on.
8.4 - Wrongun, Guptill reads it and defends.
8.5 - WICKET! Another wrongun, Guptill doesn't read it, and he's bowled! That's Rashid's 400th T20 wicket. Guptill goes for 28. Devon Conway replaces him.
8.6 - Conway clips the ball down to long-on for two to get off the mark first ball.
NZ 58/2
1:16am - 8 overs
Nabi comes back - another of Williamson's IPL teammates.
7.1 - Short, and Williamson cuts to deep point for one.
7.2 - Short again, and now Guptill drives one out to deep point for one.
7.3 - Short, Williamson cuts with no timing. No run.
7.4 - Williamson pushes down to long-on for one more.
7.5 - Guptill defends to short third man, no run.
7.6 - Guptill plays across the line and inside edges onto his pad. No run.
NZ 53/1
1:12am - 7 overs
Well, here he is. Rashid Khan to bowl to Williamson - they're teammates in the IPL with Sunrisers Hyderabad.
6.1 - Starts with a quick legbreak, Williamson steers to third man for one.
6.2 - Guptill pushes the ball out to deep cover for one.
6.3 - Rashid attacks the pads, Williamson turns it to midwicket for one. Wrongun from Rashid, Williamson read it like a book.
6.4 - Guptill gets forward and pushes one more down to long-on. Another wrongun.
6.5 - Quicker from Rashid. Williamson defends and can't steal one.
6.6 - Williamson uses his feet, and clips Rashid out to midwicket for one more. That's NZ's 50.
NZ 50/1
1:08am - 6 overs
Mujeeb for his third, last over of the powerplay.
5.1 - Williamson defends the first ball.
5.2 - Same result, Williamson defends again.
5.3 - Chance! Williamson sweeps, but doesn't get it right. Hamid dives at short fine leg, but can't get it. They run one.
5.4 - Chance again! Mujeeb's ball just stops on Guptill, who nearly gives him a return catch. He survives.
5.5 - Mujeeb goes short, and Guptill pulls him for four!
5.6 - Mujeeb pitches it up, and now Guptill drives through cover for four more!
NZ 45/1
1:05am - 5 overs
Hamid Hassan comes into the attack. Still no Rashid.
4.1 - Hamid starts with a full toss. Guptill drives back past the bowler for four.
4.2 - Good comeback, Guptill defends to square leg for one.
4.3 - Guptill lofts down to long-on. Chance for a catch, but Guptill's timed it just right to drop short of the fielder.
4.4 - Williamson on strike. Hamid starts short, and the Kiwi skipper defends.
4.5 - Full, Williamson steers to backward point. No run.
4.6 - Short to finish, Williamson edges onto his body. Guptill runs through.
NZ 36/1
1:01am - 4 overs
Mujeeb carries on, no sign of Rashid Khan.
3.1 - WICKET! Has he got him? He has, wide from Mujeeb, and Mitchell fends at it, getting the edge through to Shahzad. That was a carrom ball from Mujeeb - the off-spinner's wrong-un. Mitchell goes for 17, Kane Williamson comes in at No. 3.
3.2 - Carrom ball again. Williamson plays and misses.
3.3 - Williamson goes back and punches down to long-on for one.
3.4 - Guptill works one more down to long-on.
3.5 - Same result, Williamson hits with the spin down to long-on again.
3.6 - And so does Guptill, another single to long-on.
NZ 30/1
12:57am - 3 overs
Seam now as Naveen-ul-Haq comes into the attack.
2.1 - Starts full, and Mitchell drives beautifully over the top for four down to long-off.
2.2 - Slower ball to comeback from Naveen, Mitchell just drops and runs. The Blackcaps can do this in singles from here.
2.3 - Guptill on strike. Wide slower ball from Naveen. Guptill looks to cut, but there's not enough pace, so gets a bottom edge into the ground.
2.4 - He gets this one though! Naveen pitches up, and Guptill pumps him through cover for four!
2.5 - Slower ball beats Guptill through the air, but they still get a single down to long-on.
2.6 - Short ball to finish, Mitchell turns to square leg for a single.
NZ 26/0
12:52am
Mujeeb opens up from the other end.
1.1 - Starts on middle, Guptill works through square leg for one.
1.2 - On off-stump, Mitchell defends.
1.3 - Mitchell advances and pushes down to long-on, they get back for two more.
1.4 - Short and wide, Mitchell cuts but can't beat point.
1.5 - Short again, Mitchell cuts late and gets four more!
1.6 - Wide from Mujeeb, Mitchell defends to backward point and Guptill runs through for one.
NZ 15/0
12:49am - 1 over
Nope, captain Nabi will open the bowling himself. Guptill on strike.
0.1 - Full with no spin first up, Guptill drives but can't beat cover.
0.2 - Guptill pushes the ball down to long-on, and they steal two runs! Great running from Mitchell, that should never be two.
0.3 - Guptill pushes the ball into cover for one more.
0.4 - Mitchell to face up for his first. Bit of turn for Nabi, Mitchell looks to attack but defends.
0.5 - Good ball from Nabi. Mitchell defends to cover.
0.6 - Short, and Mitchell goes back and punches through cover for four!
NZ 7/0
12:45am
Afghanistan are out in the middle, and look like they're going to open up with the spin of Mujeeb.
Guptill and Mitchell make their way out to the crease.
12:40am
So, that's the first part of the job done. The only challenge now will be how can the Blackcaps' batters handle Afghanistan's spin twins of Rashid and Mujeeb?
We'll be back shortly for the chase.
12:36am - 20 overs
Last over, Neesham will bowl it. Rashid Khan on strike - and he can hit a big ball!
19.1 - Neesham starts short, and Rashid pulls out to the midwicket fence. Mitchell nearly pulls off one of the all-time great catches, but can only manage to throw the ball back in. At the very least, he saved four runs as the batters run two.
19.2 - Neesham looks for the yorker, Rashid backs away and misses. No run.
19.3 - Another yorker. Rashid backs away and swings but can't connect. Dot ball. Gold.
19.4 - And again! Wide yorker from Neesham. Rashid backs away and swings, but misses.
19.5 - Wide yorker. Just inside the wide line. Rashid misses and stares down the umpire wanting a wide, which he doesn't get.
19.6 - WICKET! Last ball of the innings, and he gets Rashid! A full toss is clubbed over the off-side, and Williamson runs around to take the catch at cover. Rashid is the final man out, he made three.
AFG 124/8
12:30am - 19 overs
Karim Janat is the new batsman, Boult will bowl his last.
18.1 - Starts full, and Najibullah swings and gets an inside edge down to fine leg for four more.
18.2 - WICKET! What a catch! Boult goes full, and Najibullah lofts it down to long off. Neesham runs around and hangs on to the catch at full stretch! Najibullah goes for 73. Rashid Khan is the new batter.
18.3 - Short ball, Janat can't time it as the ball spoons over Boult. They get back for two runs.
18.4 - WICKET! Another one! Boult goes short, and Janat gets up on one leg and pulls down to fine leg. Sodhi's there on the fence, and hardly has to move to take the catch. Janat goes for two. Mujeeb Ur Rahman is in next.
18.5 - Rashid to face. He drives to cover for one to get underway.
18.6 - Mujeeb faces his first. Bouncer. Mujeeb looks to pull and gets a top edge onto his body. No run.
AFG 122/7
12:23am - 18 overs
Three overs left. Southee will bowl his last.
17.1 - Starts with a bouncer, and Nabi pulls down to long on for a single.
17.2 - SIX! Najibullah swings and sends the ball high over long off for six! Rare mistake from Southee.
17.3 - Najibullah swings agan and sends the ball out to deep midwicket, they run two. That's the 50 run stand between these two.
17.4 - Short, Najibullah pulls and gets a top edge down to fine leg for four more!
17.5 - Yorker. Najibullah can't connect. But Conway spills it and they run a bye.
17.6 - WICKET! Slower bouncer that Nabi slaps straight back to Southee, who completes the caught and bowled. Nabi goes for 14 from 20.
AFG 115/5
12:18am - 17 overs
Four overs to go, Afghanistan are surely eyeing a huge finish with six wickets in hand? Boult comes back.
16.1 - Starts with a yorker. Najibullah squeezes it for one to point.
16.2 - Nabi drives a slower ball out to cover for one more.
16.3 - Slower bouncer, Najibullah looks to hook, but misses.
16.4 - Back of a length, and Najibullah pulls in the air to deep square leg. Mitchell can't get to the ball to take the catch, and the batters run two. That's the 100 up. Hang on, the umpires want to check for one run short. And it is. Minus one for Afghanistan.
16.5 - Yorker, and Najibullah clips to wide long-on for one, and that's the 100 up.
16.6 - Full toss, and Nabi drives to deep cover for one.
AFG 101/4
12:14am - 16 overs
Neesham to bowl another.
15.1 - Bowls across Najibullah, who swings and gets an edge that doesn't carry to Conway.
15.2 - Neesham goes for the pads, Najibullah swots it out to midwicket for one.
15.3 - Back of a length, and Nabi works to midwicket for one more.
15.4 - Slower ball, and Najibullah works to midwicket for two more. Good running.
15.5 - Cramps Najibullah up next ball. No run.
15.6 - Najibullah drives down to long-off for one more.
AFG 96/4.
12:09am - 15 overs
Milne comes back to bowl his last over.
14.1 - Starts short to Nabi, who defends to point. No run.
14.2 - Short ball, and Nabi can't connect with a pull shot as the ball goes over his head.
14.3 - Nabi pushes one down to long-on for one to bring Najibullah back onto strike.
14.4 - Slower ball from Milne, Najibullah looks to pull and misses.
14.5 - Najibullah defends to point, gets a run and brings up a very good half-century! It's taken him 33 balls.
14.6 - Short ball, and Nabi pulls it down to Phillips at deep midwicket, and they run two. Ends a very economical spell from Milne.
AFG 91/4
12:05am - 14 overs
Santner returns.
13.1 - SIX! Short to start from Santner, and Najibullah muscles the ball down over long-off for the first six of the innings!
13.2 - Short again, and Najibullah goes right back and pulls out to deep midwicket for one.
13.3 - Nabi turns the ball to midwicket, and Conway chases and keeps them to one.
13.4 - SIX! Six more! Najibullah swings out to midwicket, where a diving Phillips can't get high enough to catch it.
13.5 - Full toss from Santner, and Najibullah works it down to midwicket for two.
13.6 - Wide called, but that's harsh against Santner going across the left-hander.
13.6 - Najibullah clips out to midwicket for two more. Big over, 19 from it.
AFG 87/4
12:00am - 13 overs
Southee comes back.
12.1 - Starts on off-stump, and Nabi works to square leg, no run.
12.2 - On leg stump. Nabi looks to turn it down leg, but Conway saves any runs.
12.3 - Southee comes wide. Nabi glances to the man at short midwicket. Three dots to start the over.
12.4 - Southee goes for the pads again and cramps Nabi. No run.
12.5 - Nabi gets one away as he works the ball out to midwicket for one.
12.6 - Last ball of a very good over. On leg stump, and Najibullah turns it to short fine leg for a single.
AFG 68/4
11:56pm - 12 overs
Sodhi continues.
11.1 - Starts full, Najibullah defeds to point. No run.
11.2 - Sodhi tosses one up, Najibullah looks to sweep the ball going down leg, but he misses. Wide called.
11.2 - Najibullah does sweep this time, and gets out to deep square leg.
11.3 - Nabi on strike. Sodhi tosses one up, and he just pushes it back to the bowler. No run.
11.4 - Short, and Nabi pushes the ball down to long-off for one.
11.5 - Yorker length, and Najibullah drives to cover for one.
11.6 - Nabi drives the last ball of the over out to cover for a single.
AFG 66/4
11:53pm - 11 overs
Adam Milne comes back.
10.1 - Najibullah steers to third man for one.
10.2 - Nabi faces his first ball, and defends to square leg to get a single.
10.3 - Najibullah looks to run another to third man, but can't time the ball. No run.
10.4 - Slower ball from Milne, huge swing from Najibullah and he misses altogether.
10.5 - Najibullah drives in the air out to point, where Phillips again keeps them to one.
10.6 - Back of a length, Nabi steers the ball to deep backward point for two.
AFG 61/4
11:47pm - 10 overs
Ish Sodhi comes in to replace Santner.
9.1 - Starts on off-stump, Gulbadin goes back and works him to midwicket for one.
9.2 - Sodhi pitches one on Najibullah's toes, and he picks it up and swings it out over deep square leg for four! That's the 50 up for Afghanistan.
9.3 - Sodhi gets one to keep low, and Najibullah whips it to midwicket for a single.
9.4 - Short ball and Gulbadin pulls to midwicket for one.
9.5 - On off-stump, Najibullah defends and beats a diving Sodhi to get a single down to long-off.
9.6 - WICKET! Sodhi gets a wicket with the worst ball of the over! Short, wide and deserving to be hit, but Gulbadin drags it back onto leg-stump! Gulbadin goes for 15. Mohammad Nabi is the new batsman.
That's drinks too.
AFG 56/4
11:42pm - 9 overs
Neesham to carry on.
8.1 - Najibullah drives out to deep cover for one.
8.2 - Back of a length from Neesham to Gulbadin, who goes back and punches to deep cover for one more.
8.3 - Najibullah waits and runs the ball down to third man for one.
8.4 - Short from Neesham, and Gulbadin pulls out to the long boundary. Phillips comes screaming in, and keeps them to one run. Great fielding.
8.5 - Neesham comes around the wicket, and Najibullah lofts him back over his head for a straight four.
8.6 - Back over the wicket, and Najibullah slashes, gets an outside edge and gets four more!
AFG 48/3
11:37pm - 8 overs
Mitchell Santner comes into the attack. Bowling at Gulbadin first up.
7.1 - Santner darts one in, Gulbadin goes back to turn it into leg, as Conway runs from behind the stumps to go and field it. One run.
7.2 - Santner stays round the wicket to Najibullah. Short, and the batter cuts for one.
7.3 - Slower through the air from Santner, and Gulbadin turns him in front of square for one.
7.4 - Najibullah swings Santner down to long-on and gets four!
7.5 - Good comeback from Santner, as Najibullah can only defend into leg.
7.6 - Najibullah pushes down to long-on and gets one to finish the over.
AFG 36/3
11:34pm - 7 overs
That's the powerplay done. Neesham comes into the attack after his man-of-the-match showing against Namibia.
6.1 - Gulbadin takes him on first ball, lofting towards cow corner. He doesn't get it all, but the batters run back for two.
6.2 - Full from Neesham. Gulbadin drives down to long-on for one.
6.3 - Straight from Neesham to Najibullah, who works out to midwicket for one.
6.4 - Bouncer at Gulbadin, who ducks out of the way.
6.5 - Slower ball from Neesham, Gulbadin carves it out to deep point for one.
6.6 - Full at Najibullah to finish. He defends. No run.
AFG 28/3
11:29pm - 6 overs
Last over of the powerplay, Southee to bowl it.
5.1 - WICKET! And he starts with a wicket! Rahmanullah plays all around a ball on off-stump, and he's hit flush on the pad and given lbw for six! Afghanistan's top order are gone. Najibullah Zadran is the new batter.
5.2 - Beautiful shot to start from Najibullah. Southee pitches up, and the left-hander drives through cover for two.
5.3 - Short to comeback from Southee. Najibullah goes back to pull, and nearly gives Southee a return catch. No run.
5.4 - Southee comes around the wicket. Najibullah drives to mid-off, no run.
5.5 - Back over the wicket. Bouncer from Southee, Najibullah has a nibble, but leaves it through to Conway's gloves.
5.6 - On the stumps last ball. Najibullah glances into leg and gets two to deep square leg.
AFG 23/3
11:24pm - 5 overs
Milne continues.
4.1 - Milne starts short, Rahmanullah looks to hook but gets a top edge that drops short of fine leg for a single.
4.2 - Outside off, and Gulbadin swipes cross-batted and gets an edge down to third man for one more.
4.3 - Back of a length, and Rahmanullah inside edges onto his pads. No run.
4.4 - Rahmanullah walks right across his stumps looking to pull, as the ball sails over middle stump. Lucky not to be bowled.
4.5 - Rahmanullah pushes to cover and steals one. That was 146km/h from Milne.
4.6 - Short to finish, Gulbadin tries to hook but he's beaten for pace.
AFG 19/2
11:19pm - 4 overs
Boult continues.
3.1 - WICKET! Boult tucks Zazai for room, and he goes back and spoons the ball up in the air, where Santner isn't troubled taking the catch running in from midwicket. Zazai goes for two. Gulbadin Naib is promoted up to No. 4.
3.2 - Boult goes across Gulbadin first ball, and he leaves it.
3.3 - Across the right hander again. Gulbadin comes up with a swing and a miss.
3.4 - On off-stump, and Gulbadin defends. No run.
3.5 - Back of a length. Gulbadin gets up on his toes to defend.
3.6 - Short ball to finish. Gulbadin shuts his eyes and gets a top edge over the keeper for four.
AFG 16/2
11:15pm - 3 overs
Bowling change. Adam Milne comes into the attack.
2.1 - Shortish, and Zazai defends into the off-side and steals a run.
2.2 - WICKET! Shahzad faces up. And is he gone? He is! Milne goes short, and Shahzad has a horrible swipe. He gets an outside edge that Conway fumbles more than once before securing the catch. Shahzad goes for four from 10 balls. Rahmanullah Gurbaz is the new batter.
2.3 - Good length from Milne, and Rahmanullah leaves it alone.
2.4 - Rahmanullah walks across his stumps, and clips Milne down to fine leg for four. Inside edge onto his pad there, not a convincing shot.
2.5 - Back of a length from Milne in reply. Rahmanullah defends.
2.6 - Same ball to finish. Rahmanullah defends.
AFG 12/1
11:09pm - 2 overs
Trent Boult from the other end, bowling to the left-handed Zazai.
1.1 - Straight from Boult, and Zazai works into the leg side for one to get off the mark.
1.2 - Inswinging yorker. Shahzad keeps it out. Dot ball.
1.3 - Bouncer to follow, Shahzad ducks under it.
1.4 - Boult goes for off-stump now. Shahzad defends to point and can't steal a run.
1.5 - Another bouncer, Shahzad ducks. Boult's warned for short balls in the over.
1.6 - Short again, Conway spills behind the stumps, but no run.
AFG 7/0
11:05pm - 1 over
Both teams take a knee for Black Lives Matter, and now we're ready to go! Southee will start to Zazai.
0.1 - Wide ball to start from Southee, Zazai leaves it. Wide called.
0.1 - Southee attacks the pads, bit of swing back into the left-hander, and they get a leg bye.
0.2 - Shahzad takes guard. And he lofts Southee back over his head for a boundary first ball!
0.3 - Shahzad walks at Southee, and shovels the ball to mid-on, no run.
0.4 - Straight from Southee, Shahzad looks to glance, but can't beat short fine leg. No run.
0.5 - Huge swing and miss from Shahzad.
0.6 - Straight to finish from Southee, Shahzad defends into leg. No run.
AFH 6/0
10:59pm
We're all ready to go in Abu Dhabi! Afghanistan's openers Hasratullah Zazai and Mohammad Shahzad are out in the middle.
Who'll open the bowling for the Blackcaps? It looks like Tim Southee will have first use.
10:53pm
Both sides make their way out onto the field for the anthems.
10:40pm
The pitch is the same that was used for Saturday night's Australia v West Indies clash, so a bit of wear that could come in useful for each side's spinners.
It's 32 degrees in Abu Dhabi today, with the heat also certain to play its part later on.
10:38pm
The Blackcaps are unchanged from their victory over Namibia. For Afghanistan, Mujeeb will play.
NZ: 1-Martin Guptill, 2-Daryl Mitchell, 3-Kane Williamson, 4-Devon Conway (wk), 5-Glenn Phillips, 6-Jimmy Neesham, 7-Mitchell Santner, 8-Adam Milne, 9-Tim Southee, 10-Ish Sodhi, 11-Trent Boult
Afghanistan: Afghanistan: 1-Hazratullah Zazai, 2-Mohammad Shahzad (wk), 3-Ramnarullah Gurbaz, 4-Najibullah Zadran, 5-Mohammad Nabi (c), 6-Gulbadin Naib, 7-Karim Janat, 8-Rashid Khan, 9-Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 10-Naveen-ul-Haq, 11-Hamid Hassan
10:34pm
We're ready for the toss! Kane Williamson and Mohammad Nabi are in the middle.
Nabi calls heads, and calls right - Afghanistan will bat first!
10:29pm
Good news for Afghanistan (and by extension, India), with off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman appearing to have passed his fitness test for tonight's clash.
10:22pm
Good evening! We're about 10 minutes out from the toss in Abu Dhabi.
So many permutations for tonight's result, but the only one that matters for the Blackcaps is win and advance to the semi-finals.
We'll have the toss and final XIs for you as soon as possible.
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First ball at 11pm (NZ time).
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live updates of the Blackcaps v Afghanistan from Abu Dhabi.
After four games, three wins and one defeat, the Blackcaps' Twenty20 World Cup hopes come down to tonight. An effective quarter-final against Afghanistan will have plenty of Kiwis nervous, as the Blackcaps look to seal their place in the final four.
New Zealand's equation is simple: Win and advance to the semi-finals. Lose, and they're out.
Standing in their way is Afghanistan, who're bidding to reach the knockout stage of a major international tournament for the first time.
India's huge win over Scotland on Friday leaves Afghanistan needing to comprehensively beat the Blackcaps tonight, while needing a favour from Namibia in their encounter with India to finish the Super 12 stage. Complicated, I know.
The Blackcaps' cause has been boosted with Ish Sodhi passing concussion protocols after copping a nasty return blow from Namibia's David Wiese on Friday, and should continue as part of New Zealand's spin axis with Mitchell Santner.
Afghanistan meanwhile are sweating on the availability of one of their spin-stars, with Mujeeb Ur Rahman hopeful of recovering from injury to make the playing XI. Should Mujeeb miss out, then Sharaffudin Ashraf would partner the dangerous Rashid Khan as Afghanistan's spin attack.
The Abu Dhabi ground that's hosting tonight's encounter has been helpful for pace bowlers so far in this World Cup, but the Blackcaps are still prepared for a spinning wicket.
These two sides have never met in a T20 International, but have met twice in ODIs - coming at the 2015 and 2019 World Cups - with the Blackcaps convincingly winning both.
TAB odds: New Zealand $1.36, Afghanistan $3
Teams (predicted):
NZ: 1-Martin Guptill, 2-Daryl Mitchell, 3-Kane Williamson (c), 4-Devon Conway (wk), 5-Glenn Phillips, 6-Jimmy Neesham, 7-Mitchell Santner, 8-Adam Milne, 9-Tim Southee, 10-Ish Sodhi, 11-Trent Boult
Afghanistan: 1-Hazratullah Zazai, 2-Mohammad Shahzad (wk), 3-Ramnarullah Gurbaz, 4-Gulbadin Naib, 5-Najibullah Zadran, 6-Mohammad Nabi (c), 7-Karim Janat, 8-Rashid Khan, 9-Sharafuddin Ashraf, 10-Naveen-ul-Haq, 11-Hamid Hassan
Phillips backs Blackcaps' batting depth after late run surge in Namibia win
Glenn Phillips has backed New Zealand's top-order batsmen to come good at the Twenty20 World Cup after leading a late charge against Namibia as the Black Caps moved to within one win of reaching the semi-finals.
Phillips top-scored for the New Zealanders with 39 runs as they went on to notch up a 52-run win to retain second place in Group 2 ahead of their final Super 12 match against Afghanistan on Monday.
"For us, having 160 was always the goal in mind, so it was how can we go about our work to be able to take the most off the last few overs," said Phillips.
"In situations like this, when we lose a couple of early ones and we get into a little bit of a pickle, (we know) that our middle order can always bring it back, if we need to.
"Our top order is going to fire fully at some point and, as we've already seen against India, we didn't need to get involved in it.
"For now it's just taking one game at a time and reassess when we go into the middle."
Phillips' partnership with James Neesham in Sharjah powered New Zealand to a total of 163/4 with the pair blasting 67 runs off the final four overs to set the Namibians an insurmountable target.
New Zealand next face an Afghanistan side in Abu Dhabi that have already secured wins over Scotland and Namibia, knowing a win will take them into the last four and Phillips is relishing the encounter.
"It's going to be massively exciting," he said.
"They're a really strong side, especially in these conditions, which seem to favour them a little bit.
"But Abu Dhabi might even the playing field a little bit, so hopefully we can put our best foot forward there."
Reuters
