New Zealand beat Afghanistan by 8 wickets in the third ODI

Afghanistan vs New Zealand 3rd ODI 2022

Match Summary

New Zealand defeated Afghanistan by 8 wickets and 142 balls to spare in the third and final ODI of the series. Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat first, scoring 248 in 49.1 overs. For New Zealand, Matt Henry took 4/30, while Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson took two wickets each.

In reply, New Zealand openers Devon Conway and Martin Guptill gave the team a solid start, putting on 118 runs for the first wicket. Conway scored 86 before being caught by Najibullah Zadran off the bowling of Mujeeb Ur Rahman, while Guptill made 63. Kane Williamson and Tom Latham then guided New Zealand to victory without further loss.

New Zealand's Batting Performance

New Zealand's batting was clinical and efficient in overhauling Afghanistan's total of 248. Conway and Guptill played with a positive intent, finding the boundaries regularly. Conway's innings was particularly impressive, as he paced his innings well and played some exquisite shots. Williamson and Latham played supporting roles, but their contributions were vital in ensuring that New Zealand did not suffer any setbacks.

Afghanistan's Bowling Performance

Afghanistan's bowlers had a challenging day at the office, as they failed to contain New Zealand's batsmen. Mujeeb Ur Rahman was the pick of the bowlers, taking the wicket of Conway, but the rest of the bowling attack was unable to provide him with adequate support. Afghanistan's lack of wickets in the middle overs allowed New Zealand to build a solid platform.

Conclusion

New Zealand's victory in the third ODI was a comprehensive and dominant performance. Their batsmen were in excellent form, and their bowlers were able to keep Afghanistan's batsmen in check. Afghanistan, on the other hand, will be disappointed with their performance, but they can take heart from the fact that they showed some fight in the second ODI and managed to win the series opener.