Afghanistan secured a 19-run victory over Zimbabwe in a high-scoring thriller in Sharjah, clinching an unassailable 2-0 lead in their three-match series. Despite the final outcome, the match was defined by extraordinary individual performances from Azmatullah Omarzai and Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza, both of whom scored brilliant centuries in an exhausting, humid contest. Losing three wickets in as many overs, brian Bennett’s brisk start was cut short in the final over of the Powerplay before Zimbabwe wobbled.
The Afghan innings began in near-disastrous fashion after they were inserted to bat. Brad Evans dismantled the top order with a double-strike in the first over, removing Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mohammad Akram for ducks. With skipper Ibrahim Zadran, Shahidullah Kamal, and Sediqullah Atal also falling cheaply, Afghanistan plummeted to 38 for 5 by the ninth over, having managed only 45 runs at the halfway mark. Which soon became 38 for 5, afghanistan were in disarray at 5 for 4. Shahidullah Kamal nicked behind immediately after and when Sediqullah Atal departed at the start of the ninth over, Afghanistan may have well accepted any total in triple-digits, having mustered just 45 at the halfway mark. The lowest being an 11-run 13th over from Ernest Masuku, every over thereafter produced double-digit returns.
A miraculous recovery followed, led by a 142-run partnership between Omarzai and Ijaz Ahmadzai. The momentum shifted dramatically in the 11th over when both players struck sixes off Ryan Burl. Omarzai, who reached his fifty in 31 balls, accelerated to a 44-ball century, ultimately striking 12 sixes in his 116-run knock. Ahmadzai provided vital support with a 52-run contribution before falling, while Rashid Khan added a decisive flourish with an unbeaten 25, which included four sixes in the final over to push the team total to 221/7. But Azmatullah Omarzai smashed a sensational hundred to power them to 221 against the odds. But what followed was a scarcely-believable counter-attack. Omarzai raced to a 31-ball fifty and continued to pillage sixes at will before wrecking Evans’ figures in a 27-run 17th over in which he notched up a 44-ball hundred. Though not before the latter smashed 12 sixes in a stunning 116-run onslaught, the Zimbabwean skipper eventually dismissed Omarzai. Ending a 37-run stand in the fourth over as Kaia fell for 25, omarzai continued to enjoy a dream outing. He brought up his fifty off 34 balls and while the required rate continued to mount – it went as high as 21 at the start of the 18th over – Raza ensured multiple conferences amongst the Afghan contingent.
Zimbabwe’s response saw them slump to 82 for 5, a period during which Rashid Khan claimed a historic 200th T20I wicket. While the required run rate climbed above 15, Sikandar Raza spearheaded a defiant, one-man rescue mission. Battling severe humidity that left him visibly struggling on the field, Raza hammered an unbeaten 106. Alongside Tafadzwa Tsiga, who remained not out on 31, the pair forged an unbroken 120-run stand that kept Zimbabwe in contention until the final moments. Then, Zimbabwe’s chase looked done and dusted at 82 for 5, but Sikandar Raza kept afloat their hopes as he racked up a ton of his own. Becoming the first man to 200 T20I scalps, rashid ticked off a major milestone through the course of it. Who was regularly on his haunches, the asking rate shot well above 15 and the humidity got to Raza.
The chase ultimately faltered as Zimbabwe required 36 runs off the final over. Despite the late resistance, Afghanistan held their nerve to finish with a victory. In the final brief scores, Afghanistan concluded their 20 overs at 221/7, while Zimbabwe reached 202/5. Bowling honors for Afghanistan were shared by Abdullah Ahmadzai with 2 for 34 and Rashid Khan with 1 for 29, while Brad Evans claimed 2 for 40 for the visitors. Zimbabwe’s chase began positively with a 16-run over as Innocent Kaia raced off the traps.
