With Rashid Khan dismissing both Raza and Tashinga Musekiwa with a double-strike in the 17th over, Zimbabwe had limited firepower in the last overs.
Zimbabwe was bowled out for 125 with three deliveries remaining, ending their innings in a whimper, despite Brad Evans managing a pair of streaking boundaries in the 18th over.
Afghanistan defeated Zimbabwe handily in the second Twenty20 International at Harare on Friday, October 31, completing the three-match series. Afghanistan finished their chase with seven wickets remaining in just 18 overs after holding the hosts to a respectable 125.
Zimbabwe’s decision to bat first led to a dismal start. In the first three overs, they failed to score a boundary, so they put early pressure on themselves. Two balls after hitting the first ball of the fourth over for six, Brian Bennett lost his opening partner, Dion Myers. After misfiring on a draw shot in the next over, Bennett was removed as well. When Brendan Taylor was hit in the PowerPlay’s last over, Zimbabwe was in trouble at 35/3.
Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl failed to score any boundaries in the next four overs as Zimbabwe’s scoring rate suffered as they attempted to consolidate. Abdullah Ahmadzai removed Burl for a scratchy 15-ball 10 to conclude their 23-run partnership. As Raza persisted, Tony Munyonga, who hit three fours before being bowled for 19 by Nabi in the 14th over, provided some support.
Afghanistan used the bat to respond much more forcefully from the start. With a six and a four off Wellington Masakadza in the opening over, Rahmanullah Gurbaz got things going. Despite his fall in the third over, Ibrahim Zadran, his opening partner, made sure Afghanistan had a successful PowerPlay. Afghanistan reached 54/1 after six overs thanks to his three fours off Tinotenda Maposa in the sixth over and two off Richard Ngarava in the fourth.
With no pressure on the scoreboard, Afghanistan was happy to smash it around and play risk-free cricket. Zimbabwe responded by taking Sediqullah Atal out in the eighth over. After the PowerPlay, there was a seven-over period during which no boundaries were hit. In the fourteenth over, Darwish Rasooli hit a four to break the shackles, but he was caught in the following over.
With four overs remaining with the equation standing at Afghanistan, where a run-a-ball of 24 is needed to win, Zimbabwe managed to hold onto hopes. They were swiftly cut short, though, as Ibrahim scored his fifty first before hitting a vital boundary. Following that, Afghanistan scored 12 of the 24 runs needed, with Azmutallah Omarzai pulling the last delivery of the same over for another four. In the next over, Omarzai added three more boundaries off Ngarava to complete the task for his team.
India
