Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by 7 wickets (with 93 balls remaining) – ODI Report
Afghanistan won by 7 wickets (with 93 balls remaining) in the 20th match of 24 in the Tri-Nation Series at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. A dominant bowling performance underpinned by Rashid Khan‘s 3/41 restricted Zimbabwe to 169, before Ibrahim Zadran‘s composed 70 not out steered Afghanistan to a commanding chase victory. The win extends Afghanistan’s unbeaten run to 2-0 in the tournament, while Zimbabwe slip to 1-1.
Zimbabwe’s Batting Collapse
Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat, but their innings never gained momentum. Tadiwanashe Marumani was bowled early by Rashid Khan at 22/2 in the 4th over, leaving the visitors in immediate trouble. Brian Bennett (9 off 21) and Tafadzwa Tsiga (4 off 8) offered little resistance, with both dismissed by the 7th over as Zimbabwe slumped to 26/3.
Sikandar Raza provided the only meaningful resistance with 68 off 83 (3 fours, 3 sixes), building a 111-run stand with Ryan Burl (31 off 45) to lift Zimbabwe to 137/4 in the 33rd over. But once Raza fell at 137/4, the innings unravelled. Brendan Taylor (7 off 11), Wesley Madhevere (3 off 6), Brad Evans (1 off 7) and Newman Nyamhuri (0 off 5) all fell cheaply, with Zimbabwe losing 6/32 in 10 overs to finish 169 all out.
Rashid Khan was the standout bowler with 3/41 from 10 overs at an economy of 4.1. Mohammad Nabi was equally economical, conceding just 25 runs from 10 overs while taking 2/25, including the crucial wicket of Wellington Masakadza (8 off 25) in the 43rd over. Fazalhaq Farooqi took 2/41 from 7 overs, while Azmatullah Omarzai was miserly with 1/6 from 5 overs at an economy of just 1.2.
Afghanistan’s Composed Chase
Afghanistan’s reply was methodical and controlled. Rahmanullah Gurbaz struck early with 36 off 31 (4 fours, 2 sixes) at a strike rate of 116, adding 68 runs with Ibrahim Zadran before falling at 68/1 in the 10th over. Sediqullah Atal (6 off 12) departed soon after at 80/2, but Zadran and Rahmat Shah (43 off 63) steadied the ship with a 82-run partnership.
Zadran remained unbeaten on 70 off 96 (4 fours, 1 six) at a strike rate of 73, anchoring Afghanistan’s chase with textbook technique and patience. Shah provided crucial support in the middle overs before Hashmatullah Shahidi (7 off 5) finished the job with a flourish. Afghanistan reached 170/3 in 34.3 overs, winning with 93 balls to spare.
Zimbabwe’s bowling lacked penetration. Newman Nyamhuri took 2/30 from 6 overs, while Wesley Madhevere claimed 1/8 from 1.3 overs. Blessing Muzarabani (0/23 from 6) and Brad Evans (0/42 from 6) were expensive, unable to create the breakthroughs their side needed.
Statz MVP: Mohammad Nabi (Statz Rating: 92.9)
Mohammad Nabi earns the Statz MVP award with a mi_rating of 92.9. Though he did not bat, his 2/25 from 10 overs was instrumental in restricting Zimbabwe’s scoring in the death overs. Nabi’s economy of 2.5 was the most frugal of any bowler on the day, and his ability to bowl tight lines under pressure proved decisive in a low-scoring contest.
Top 5 Statz Ratings
- Mohammad Nabi (AFG) – Statz Rating: 92.9 | 2/25 from 10 overs – Economical death bowling sealed the victory.
- Azmatullah Omarzai (AFG) – Statz Rating: 77.28 | 1/6 from 5 overs – Miserly spell at an economy of 1.2 strangled Zimbabwe’s middle order.
- Rashid Khan (AFG) – Statz Rating: 74.08 | 3/41 from 10 overs – Three-wicket haul broke Zimbabwe’s back early.
- Sikandar Raza (ZIM) – Statz Rating: 63.53 | 68 off 83 (SR 82) – Lone bright spot in a disappointing Zimbabwe innings.
- Newman Nyamhuri (ZIM) – Statz Rating: 60.07 | 2/30 from 6 overs – Best effort in a toothless Zimbabwe bowling attack.
Turning Point
The match turned when Sikandar Raza was caught for 68 at 137/4 in the 33rd over. Raza had been carrying Zimbabwe’s innings, striking at 82, and his dismissal exposed the lower order. The collapse that followed – 6/32 in the next 10 overs – left Zimbabwe short of a competitive total. Afghanistan’s bowlers, led by Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, suffocated Zimbabwe’s tail with relentless accuracy.
Tournament Context
This was the 20th match of 24 in the Tri-Nation Series. Afghanistan (2W 0L, 4 points) remain unbeaten and top the table with a net run rate of 2.362. Zimbabwe (1W 1L, 2 points) slip to second with a net run rate of -0.59. The victory reinforces Afghanistan’s status as the tournament favourites, while Zimbabwe will need to regroup ahead of their remaining fixtures. Check the full scorecard and head-to-head history on Statz, or explore Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe bet builder for more insights.
