New Zeland Sunday reached into semi-finals of the ongoing T20 World Cup in the UAE with a comfortable eight-wicket win over Afghanistan and also sent hosts India to packing. 

Chasing a target of 125 runs, New Zealand reached home in 18.1 overs for the loss of two wickets. New Zealand also briefly took over Pakistan as the topper of Group II on the basis of the better run rate. However, Pakistan the only undefeated side in the World Cup so far is set to take on Scotland in their last outing to potentially top the group and set up a semi-final with Austrlaia. New Zealand are likely to face England in the semi-finals in a repeat of ICC World Cup 2019 final, which was won by England in a controversial manner.

Trent Boult led a disciplined New Zealand attack to help restrict Afghanistan to 124 for eight in the Kiwis' bid to seal a semi-final spot in the Twenty20 World Cup on Sunday.

Najibullah Zadran played a lone hand with his 48-ball 73 to give the Afghanistan total some respectability after they elected to bat first in Abu Dhabi.

Left-arm quick Boult returned figures of 3-17 from his four overs and was ably supported by Tim Southee who took two wickets.

New Zealand's pace bowlers rattled the opposition's top order with quick strikes as Adam Milne sent back Mohammad Shahzad caught behind for four in his first over.

Boult got going from the other end to get Hazratullah Zazai out for two and Southee trapped Rahmanullah Gurbaz lbw for six as Afghanistan slipped to 19-3.

Zadran counter-attacked with a handful of boundaries including two off Jimmy Neesham but soon took to defence after losing his partner Gulbadin Naib for 15.

Naib dragged a wide delivery from Kiwi leg-spinner Ish Sodhi onto his stumps.

Skipper Mohammad Naib joined Zadran at the crease as the duo attempted to push the scoring against the spinners and singled out Mitchell Santner for runs.

The left-handed Zadran smashed Santner for two sixes and later got to his 50 in a 33 balls. It was his second fifty in this T20 World Cup and sixth overall.

Southee broke the 59-run partnership, seeing off Nabi for 14.

Boult got the key scalp of Zadran with Neesham taking a good diving catch in the deep and the Afghans struggled to get runs in the final overs.

SCOREBOARD

AFGHANISTAN

H. Zazai c Santner b Boult            2

M. Shahzad c Conway b Milne           4

R. Gurbaz lbw b Southee               6

G. Naib b Sodhi                      15

N. Zadran c Neesham b Boult          73

M. Nabi c and b Southee              14

K. Janat c Sodhi b Boult              2

R. Khan c Williamson b Neesham        3

M. Ur Rahman not out                  0

Extras (b1, lb1, w3)                  5

Total (8 wickets, 20 overs)         124

Did not bat: Naveen-ul-Haq, Hamid Hassan

Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Mohammad Shahzad, 2.2 ov), 2-12 (Zazai), 3-19 (Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 5.1 ov), 4-56 (Gulbadin), 5-115 (Nabi), 6-119 (Najibullah Zadran, 18.2 ov), 7-121 (Janat), 8-124 (Rashid)

Bowling: Southee 4-0-24-2 (w1), Boult 4-0-17-3, Milne 4-0-17-1, Neesham 4-0-24-1, Santner 2-0-27-0 (w1), Sodhi 2-0-13-1 (w1)

NEW ZEALAND (TARGET 125)

M. Guptill b Rashid                   28

D. Mitchell c Shahzad b Mujeeb        17

K. Williamson not out                 40

D. Conway not out                     36

Extras (lb2, w2)                       4

Total (2 wickets, 18.1 overs)        125

Did not bat: G. Phillips, J. Neesham, M. Santner, A. Milne, T. Southee, I. Sodhi, T. Boult

Fall of wickets: 1-26 (Mitchell), 2-57 (Guptill)

Bowling: Nabi 4-0-26-0, Mujeeb 4-0-31-1 (w1), Naveen-ul-Haq 2-0-16-0, Hassan 3-0-14-0, Rashid 4-0-27-1 (w1), Naib 1.1-0-9-0

Toss: Afghanistan

Result: New Zealand won by eight wickets

Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI), Langton Rusere (ZIM)

TV Umpire: Richard Illingworth (ENG)

Match Referee: Javagal Srinath (IND)