New Zealand slipped to 109-1 from 110-4 in just nine balls in their World Cup 2023 encounter against Afghanistan on October 18 (today).

Buoyed by a 69-run win against England in their previous outing, Afghanistan sent New Zealand to bat first. Mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman was introduced early in the attack. He drew first blood for his team, sending in-form batter Devon Conway packing for 20 (18). Conway’s opening partner, Will Young,  joined all-rounder Rachin Ravindra in the middle. The duo put together a 79-run stand to take New Zealand’s score to 109-2 at the end of 20 overs. Afghanistan dropped numerous catches, and it seemed like the mistakes would make them pay.

Pace-bowling all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai came to bowl the next over. During the second ball of the over, Omarzai pegged Ravindra’s middle stump as the left-hander tried to play a cross-batted shot. Ravindra returned to the pavilion with 32 (41). The dismissal triggered a mini-collapse.

Omarzai, who had only a wicket from his last six games before this game, scalped again with the final delivery of the same over. Young tried to drive him on the up against a full-length ball pitched on off-stump. The ball took an inside edge and flew to gloveman Ikram’s left. He reacted quickly, moving towards the ball to pluck a spectacular one-handed low catch. The umpires adjudged Young out for 54 (64) after confirming the legality of the catch upstairs. New Zealand were now 110-3. Ian Smith summed up the grab perfectly on air: “As good as you’ll get anywhere.”

Sniffing an opening, skipper Hasmatullah Shahidi brought spin ace Rashid Khan on against the freshly arrived Daryl Mitchell. The leg-spinner didn’t disappoint as he delivered with Mitchell’s wicket in the 22nd over. He bowled back of a length and straight, and Mitchell pulled it straight into the hands of Ibrahim Zadran at mid-wicket. The batter’s patchy stint in the mdidle ended on 1 (7). New Zealand were now reeling at 110-4, having lost their last three wickets in nine balls for only a run.

The mini-collapse could trigger the third upset of World Cup 2023. Afghanistan produced one a few days ago against England, Netherlands did it yesterday, scripting their first World Cup win against a Test nation.

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