Eman 
ZeeaK 
Omarzai and Mujeeb Power Afghanistan to Dominant Win Over Zimbabwe in 1st T20I
Venue: Harare Sports Club, Harare
Series: Afghanistan Tour of Zimbabwe 2025
Result: Afghanistan won by 53 runs
Afghanistan Bounce Back Strong After Test Defeat
After a disappointing performance in the one-off Test, Afghanistan roared back in style, securing a 53-run victory against Zimbabwe in the opening T20I at Harare.
The visitors showcased a complete team performance — a fiery batting start from the openers followed by a ruthless bowling display from Azmatullah Omarzai and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who dismantled the Zimbabwe lineup to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Mujeeb and Omarzai Rip Through Zimbabwe’s Batting
Chasing 181, Zimbabwe’s innings got off to a disastrous start. Mujeeb Ur Rahman struck twice in the second over, removing veteran Brendan Taylor and another batter off consecutive deliveries.
The trouble deepened when Azmatullah Omarzai joined the attack, taking two wickets in quick succession in the very next over. Zimbabwe were left reeling at 25/4, and soon 30/5, as opener Brian Bennett also fell victim to Omarzai’s fiery spell.
With the top order back in the pavilion early, the hosts struggled to recover. Brad Evans (24) and Tinotenda Maposa (32 off 15) added some late resistance, but it wasn’t enough to rescue the innings. Mujeeb returned to clean up the tail, finishing with 4 wickets for 20 runs, while Omarzai claimed 3 for 29, sealing Zimbabwe’s collapse for 127 in 16.1 overs.
Afghan Openers Set the Tone with a Strong Partnership
Earlier in the day, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran gave Afghanistan the perfect start, adding 76 runs for the first wicket.
Gurbaz attacked from the outset, hitting three boundaries off Richard Ngarava in a single over, while Zadran followed up with a classy six off Blessing Muzarabani. Their aggressive intent ensured Afghanistan dominated the Powerplay.
Zimbabwe found some respite when Sikandar Raza broke the opening stand, but Zadran carried on to score a fine half-century (52 off 38). Afghanistan looked set for a massive total at 103/1 with nine overs to spare before Raza struck again, taking two wickets in an over.
Blessing Muzarabani also added pressure with a double-wicket over, reducing the visitors to 128/5, but Omarzai (quick 20s cameo) and Shahidullah Kamal played valuable knocks late in the innings to push Afghanistan to a competitive 180/6 in 20 overs.
Match Summary
Afghanistan: 180/6 (20 overs)
- Ibrahim Zadran – 52 (38)
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz – 39 (24)
- Sikandar Raza – 3/20
Zimbabwe: 127 (16.1 overs)
- Tinotenda Maposa – 32 (15)
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman – 4/20
- Azmatullah Omarzai – 3/29
Result: Afghanistan won by 53 runs
Key Takeaways
- Afghanistan take a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series.
- Mujeeb and Omarzai combined for 7 wickets, decimating Zimbabwe’s batting order.
- Ibrahim Zadran’s half-century and Gurbaz’s explosive start set up a strong total.
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image credits ; cricbuzz
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