India, Feb. 9 -- Tim Seifert's typically aggressive fifty was the moving force behind New Zealand's five-wicket victory over Afghanistan in a Group D match of the T20 World Cup on Sunday. Seifert (65, 42b, 7x4, 3x6) showed why he has been nicknamed 'Bam Bam' in Kiwis' circles, helping his side go past the target of 183 with considerable ease. Seifert had an equally single-minded partner in Glenn Phillips (42, 25b) as the third wicket pair added 74 runs in 47 balls to rescue New Zealand from a wobbly 14 for two.

The turbulence was the after result of the little passage of magic by spinner Mujeeb ur Rahman, who dismissed Finn Allen and Rachin Ravindra off successive balls in the second over. But the Antipodeans clawed back through Seifert,...