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Afghanistan Clinch Series 2-0: Dominant Win Over Zimbabwe Powered by Rashid Khan and Ibrahim Zadran
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Afghanistan Clinch Series 2-0: Dominant Win Over Zimbabwe Powered by Rashid Khan and Ibrahim Zadran
Afghanistan secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series, defeating Zimbabwe by seven wickets in the second match at the Harare Sports Club on Friday, October 31. The victory was set up by a disciplined bowling effort that stifled the hosts, followed by a composed chase led by opener Ibrahim Zadran.
Zimbabwe’s Innings: The Spin Trap Closes In
After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Zimbabwe’s innings struggled to gain momentum from the outset. Early pressure translated into a cautious Powerplay, and though Brian Bennett briefly found the boundary, he and opening partner Dion Myers fell swiftly, leaving the score at 35/3.
The Afghan spinners then took control. Captain Sikandar Raza (37) fought hard alongside Tony Munyonga (19) to consolidate, but a period of four boundary-less overs severely restricted the scoring rate. The final collapse was triggered by a double-strike from the masterful Rashid Khan, who dismissed both Raza and Tashinga Musekiwa in the 17th over, finishing with sensational figures of 3 wickets for just 9 runs. Zimbabwe never recovered, being bowled out for a meager 125 in 19.3 overs.
Afghanistan’s Chase: Zadran Guides the Ship
Facing no scoreboard pressure, Afghanistan’s chase was marked by confidence and control. Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz signaled their intent immediately with a six and a four in the very first over.
Though Gurbaz departed early, Ibrahim Zadran anchored the innings perfectly. He ensured a strong Powerplay finish, striking five fours across the fourth and sixth overs to take the score to 54/1.
Despite a mid-innings lull where the batters played risk-free cricket, Zadran kept the innings ticking. As the required rate tightened slightly in the final overs, Zadran first secured his half-century, then smashed a crucial boundary. He was ably supported by Azmatullah Omarzai, who pulled a boundary off the same over. Omarzai then ensured the job was finished quickly, hitting three boundaries off the subsequent over to guide Afghanistan to 129/3 in 18 overs.
Brief Scores:
Zimbabwe 125 all out (Raza 37; Rashid Khan 3-9) lost to Afghanistan 129/3 (Zadran 57*, Omarzai 25*) by 7 wickets.
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IMAGE CREDITS : CRICBUZZ
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