New Zealand tightened their grip on Group D with a facile win over the UAE in Chennai on Tuesday (February 10). UAE, who came into their opening game of the tournament with concerns around their batting, put up a spirited display but were ultimately outplayed by New Zealand's openers, Tim Seifert and Finn Allen. Here are the talking points from the encounter:

Waseem walks the talk

Prior to the game, UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem had spoken about the need for their batters to bat long. Having been bowled out for just 81 in one of their warm-up games, against first-time World Cuppers Italy, UAE entered this edition with question marks over their prowess with the willow.

Waseem took it upon himself to lead the turnaround and, alongside Alishan Sharafu, kept the New Zealand bowlers at bay for a major part of the innings. The duo - UAE's most reliable batters - forged a century stand and were constantly cheered on by a crowd that largely rooted for the underdog. While the final result was not what they would have hoped for, the batting gains from this fixture certainly give UAE hope for the remainder of the tournament and beyond.

The India results toughen New Zealand up

In the T20 series preceding the World Cup, New Zealand endured a bruising time against India. They allowed scores of 238 and 271 and let the home side chase down 209 in 15.2 overs and 154 in just 10 overs. Those were morale-sapping defeats coming just days before a global event. However, early signs suggest those experiences may have hardened New Zealand. They were unfazed after losing two early wickets in a chase of 183 against Afghanistan, going on to win with 13 balls to spare. On Tuesday, they underlined that resilience by not losing a single wicket while chasing 174, getting the job done with almost five overs to spare. Facing what is arguably the most in-form batting lineup in the world appears to have sharpened New Zealand's approach and belief. While sterner challenges await, the early signs are promising.

No way back for Conway?

Tim Seifert and Finn Allen produced a blistering start to the chase and ensured the two openers were around when the game was sealed in just 15.2 overs, walking back with a pair of 80s in tow. The strong start from the pair has increased the likelihood of Devon Conway not featuring in the XI in this World Cup and perhaps even beyond in this format. Allen and Seifert have firmly established themselves at the top, while Rachin Ravindra's ability to contribute with both bat and ball - as he showed against UAE - adds a dimension that strengthens New Zealand's balance. This is not a situation the 34-year-old Conway would have envisaged when he was among the best players in the world across formats that also culminated in a dominant IPL season in 2023. However, Conway has struggled in T20 cricket for a while now, averaging under 30 at a strike rate below 130 since 2025. That decline has seen him lose his spot at CSK and subsequently go unsold at the IPL auction. With young Tim Robinson also having scored a T20I hundred in October last year, the road back into New Zealand's T20I XI looks distant for Conway.

What does the result mean for Afghanistan?

Defeat to New Zealand in their opening game meant Afghanistan were already reliant on favours elsewhere. This result has dented their prospects further. With UAE going down, Afghanistan's next hope rests on New Zealand continuing to win. Expecting UAE to spring an upset against South Africa may be a bridge too far. However, if New Zealand go on to beat South Africa and seal qualification early, Afghanistan's own chances will brighten. Before that, though, they will need to do a jobon SouthAfrica themselves before New Zealandarrivein Ahmedabad.