New Zealand secured their place in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup and dumped out India with a comfortable eight-wicket win over Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi.
Captain Kane Williamson led from the front with an unbeaten 40 as the Kiwis reached their 125-run target with 11 balls to spare on Sunday.
Williamson shared in an unbroken stand of 68 from 57 balls for the third wicket with Devon Conway, who weighed in with 36 not out in what proved a straightforward run chase.
Afghanistan, who had gone into the match with an outside chance of making the last four themselves, failed to post a competitive total despite an impressive 73 from Najibullah Zadran.
The Black Caps were outstanding in the field and took an early grip on the game as they reduced Afghanistan to 19 for three inside the power play.
Zadran held the innings together, hitting six fours and three sixes in his 48-ball knock but Ish Sodhi and Tim Southee both struck to end promising partnerships with Gulbadin Naib and captain Mohammad Nabi.
Zadran himself eventually fell to a superb diving catch from James Neesham off the bowling of Trent Boult on the long off boundary in the 19th over. Karim Janat holed out to Sodhi at long leg off the same bowler two balls later.
With Rashid Khan adding only three off seven balls, Afghanistan were restricted to 124 for eight from their allocation. Boult finished with three for 17 and Southee two for 24.
Afghanistan’s hopes rested with their attack and they were at least boosted by the presence of off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who passed a fitness test to feature.
Mujeeb did account for Daryl Mitchell (17) in the fourth over and star spinner Khan removed Martin Guptill for a brisk 28 but New Zealand never looked like falling short.
Williamson and wicketkeeper Conway - who also each took some brilliant catches in the Afghanistan innings - were largely untroubled as they completed the job. Conway, however, was perhaps lucky Afghanistan did not appeal for a caught behind early in his innings when replays suggested there may have been an edge.
New Zealand join Pakistan in qualifying for semi-finals from Group Two with pre-tournament favourites India eliminated regardless of the outcome of their final game against Namibia.
Elsewhere, Pakistan captain Babar Azam and Shoaib Malik cracked blistering half-centuries as the 2009 World Twenty20 champions eased past Scotland by 72 runs on Sunday evening to seal top spot in Group II and set up a semi-final meeting with Australia.
Azam opted to bat first after winning the toss and led from the front with a 47-ball 66 that contained five boundaries and three sixes before Malik put the Scots to the sword with a 18-ball 54 dotted by six hits over the ropes.
Mohammad Hafeez also joined the party with a 19-ball 31 to help them reach a commanding 189-4 in their 20 overs, with 114 coming off the final eight.
The winless Scots had little reward in their final Super 12 clash in Sharjah, with spinner Chris Greaves’ two wickets - that of Azam and Fakhar Zaman - coming at the cost of 43 runs in his four overs.
Pakistan reduced Scotland to 41-4 with Shadab Khan removing dangerous opener George Munsey for 17 before bowling out Dylan Budge for a duck to lay the foundation for another convincing victory in a tournament where they have been flawless.
Richie Berrington brought up his half-century in the 18th over off Hasan Ali, smashing the paceman for a huge six along the way, but his gutsy 54 not out went in vain as Scotland managed only 117-6 in their 20 overs.
Pakistan finished the group stage with five wins out of five while New Zealand finished second to book a clash with England in the semi-finals.
