Afghanistan qualify for Super 8s; New Zealand officially knocked out

Following their seven-wicket win over Papua New Guinea in Trinidad on June 13 (Thursday), Afghanistan have secured a place in the Super 8s of the 2024 T20 World Cup. This is the first time Afghanistan have made it through to the next round of an ICC event.

What’s more, with Afghanistan beating PNG, New Zealand are now officially knocked out of the competition. The Black Caps still have two games to go but even if they defeat Uganda and PNG, the maximum they can get to is 4 points. Meanwhile, Afghanistan and West Indies already have 6 points. 

This will also be the first time New Zealand won’t be making it through to the second round of a T20 World Cup. The Black Caps have featured in three semi-finals and also finished as a runners-up in 2021. 

Rashid Khan and Co. started the tournament with a massive 125-run win over Uganda before hammering New Zealand by 84 runs. This win against PNG takes them to the top of the Group A points table. The West Indies have also won three games and are through to the next round but their NRR is below Afghanistan. 

Afghanistan first featured in a T20 World Cup in 2010 and have featured in all editions since then. This is their seventh appearance in the T20 World Cup. Prior to this edition, they had won only seven of their 22 T20 WC games and lost 15.

They have also featured in three ODI World Cups (2015, 2019 and 2023). In the first two competitions, Afghanistan won only one of their 15 encounters. In the 2023 50-over World Cup in India, Afghanistan won four of their nine games and finished sixth on the points table - still not enough to qualify for the next round. 

Apart from the West Indies and Afghanistan from Group C, India, Australia and South Africa are the other three teams who have already qualified for the Super 8s of the ongoing World Cup. There are still three spots left for the taking.

Afghanistan will play their last group game against the West Indies in St Lucia on June 17. 

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