Chennai, Feb 8 (NationPress) New Zealand's captain Mitchell Santner commended his team's resilience and flexibility after the BlackCaps commenced their T20 World Cup 2026 journey with a five-wicket victory over Afghanistan at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday, successfully chasing down a challenging target of 183 with 15 balls remaining.

Recognizing the threat posed by Afghanistan, Santner emphasized the necessity of a strong tournament start. “It was a great day. We realized coming in that Afghanistan poses a danger, and they proved that today. We understood it was a crucial match for us. We began the tournament on the right foot. The performance was commendable. The pitch was quite good, but Afghanistan tested us significantly throughout the game, just as we expected,” he remarked to broadcasters post-match.

Santner highlighted the importance of swiftly assessing conditions, particularly with varying start times and venues anticipated during the competition. “Assessing conditions is a critical facet. It was slightly sticky to begin with, especially with the 11 o'clock start, and we are playing at 3 PM and 7 PM at different grounds... it will be vital for us and likely any team throughout the competition to gauge the surface and conditions, determining the most effective bowling strategy,” he noted.

New Zealand's chase faced early difficulties as Mujeeb Ur Rahman took two wickets during the powerplay, leaving them at 14/2. However, Santner acknowledged that such moments are part of contemporary T20 cricket. When asked if there was pressure after the early wickets, Santner laughed and replied, “Absolutely. The powerplay is a crucial segment of this game, whether it’s with bat or ball. Mujeeb’s skills during the powerplay are always a significant challenge, and he bowled exceptionally well.”

He also praised the batting depth and subsequent partnerships that enabled New Zealand to regain control despite the initial setbacks. “But I believe it was a flat pitch in the end, which was favorable. We had some solid partnerships. Most teams aim to bolster their batting lineup; having a batter at number eight is advantageous,” he added.

Reflecting on potential areas for enhancement despite the convincing win, Santner underscored the need for better execution with the ball and consistency in batting. “(Any areas to improve?) I think we could just be a bit sharper. Again, we maintained our lengths well for a long time, which was probably beneficial on that pitch. A 3 o'clock game might look different. It could start flat, so the cutters were holding a bit,” he mentioned.

Summing up the match, Santner felt Afghanistan's total was competitive, but New Zealand managed it effectively. “With the bat, it’s those small partnerships that elevate you to a substantial total. They reached 180, which I thought was likely par on that pitch. It was a commendable chase in the end.”

New Zealand will next face the UAE, while Afghanistan is set to compete against South Africa later in the group stage.