Afghanistan crushed Zimbabwe by 158 runs at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Monday night, recording their first victory of the UAE ODI tri-series and throwing the race for the final wide open. Sediqullah Atal’s 102 and Rashid Khan’s four for 17 did the damage as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 136 chasing 295.
Afghanistan, who won the toss and chose to bat, posted 294 all out in their 50 overs. Atal led the way with 102 from 110 balls, including eight fours and a six, sharing a 140-run second-wicket stand with Ibrahim Zadran, who made 90 from 96 deliveries with nine fours and two sixes.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz gave the innings early pace with 25 from 20 balls, and Hashmatullah Shahidi added 28 from 30. Zimbabwe’s seamers hit back late, with Ernest Masuku taking 3 for 44 and Brad Evans 3 for 47 as Afghanistan lost their last five wickets cheaply. Blessing Muzarabani claimed two wickets.
How Afghanistan crushed Zimbabwe: the stand that built the win
The second-wicket partnership between Atal and Zadran was the innings. Atal reached his century with composed strokeplay before falling to Sikandar Raza, while Zadran fell ten short of his hundred to Evans. Gurbaz’s 25 came at a strike rate of 125 before Masuku bowled him.
Masuku returned 3 for 44, also removing Rahmat Shah and Azmatullah Omarzai, while Evans dismissed Zadran, Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan for his three wickets. Zimbabwe’s seamers took nine wickets for 104 runs after Afghanistan had reached 190 for one, keeping the total under 300.
Rashid Khan spins Zimbabwe out for 136
Zimbabwe’s chase collapsed almost immediately. Fazalhaq Farooqi removed Ben Curran in the third over, beating him through the gate, and Zimbabwe slipped to 43 for four. One strange passage saw Azmatullah Omarzai bowl Brian Bennett, only for the delivery to be called a dead ball after Omarzai’s handkerchief slipped from his clothing during his run-up. Bennett fell soon after for 31.
Captain Sikandar Raza top-scored with 48 from 80 balls and shared a 64-run stand with Ryan Burl for the fifth wicket, but the pair could not lift the scoring rate. Once Rashid broke the stand, Zimbabwe lost their last six wickets for 29 runs. Rashid finished with 4 for 17 in eight overs, while Farooqi took 2 for 15. AM Ghazanfar and Mohammad Nabi picked up one wicket each.
Brendan Taylor, speaking after the match, admitted his side had been beaten in every department. “It probably was slightly better to bat. It was always going to swing more in the lights,” he said. “We just totally got outperformed today, outplayed, and there’s a lot of discussion, a lot of work to be done in the next few days.”
What the result means for the final
The 158-run margin is, according to ESPNcricinfo, Afghanistan’s fourth-biggest win in one-day internationals. More importantly, it keeps all three teams alive in the tri-series.
Zimbabwe had opened the tournament with a 99-run win over Bangladesh, and ESPNcricinfo reported that they would have sealed a place in the final had they reached 196 against Afghanistan. Bowled out for 136, they must now wait on Wednesday’s meeting between Afghanistan and Bangladesh in Sharjah.
An Afghanistan win in Sharjah would put Zimbabwe through to the final. A Bangladesh victory would leave all three sides on one win each, with net run rate deciding the finalists.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s own tri-series preparations continue at home, where England arrive in Islamabad on Friday for the ODI tri-series. England head coach Brendon McCullum has warned his side about the challenge of playing in Pakistan, while Pakistan’s white-ball form has been strong, sealing a T20I series against Sri Lanka with an 82-run win earlier this month.
Frequently asked questions
Who was named player of the match in Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe?
Sediqullah Atal, for his 102 from 110 balls, the only century of the match.
What was the final score of the match?
Afghanistan 294 all out in 50 overs beat Zimbabwe 136 all out in 38.4 overs by 158 runs.
How many wickets did Rashid Khan take?
Rashid Khan took 4 for 17 in eight overs, the best bowling figures of the match.
Who plays next in the UAE ODI tri-series?
Afghanistan face Bangladesh in Sharjah on Wednesday, with the finalists decided by the outcome.
