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Afghanistan blank Zimbabwe after Omarzai and Mujeeb’s wicket-spree to take 1-0 lead

Aakash Saini

Afghanistan won 1st T20I to take 1-0 lead [Source: @ACBofficials/x]Afghanistan won 1st T20I to take 1-0 lead [Source: @ACBofficials/x]

Afghanistan blanked hosts Zimbabwe in the first T20I to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Opening batter Ibrahim Zadran punched out a sparkling half-century, before bowlers Azmatullah Omarzai and Mujeeb Ur Rahman collectively demolished Zimbabwe’s batting line-up.

Here, we take a look at the entire highlights of the first T20I of the three-match series between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan, as it panned out at the Harare Sports Club in Harare on Wednesday, October 29.

Sikandar Raza takes 3, but Zadran’s fifty blitzes AFG to 180

Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran raced to a 76-run opening stand from just 7.3 overs after Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat first. Gurbaz launched six boundaries and a six in his 25-ball knock of 39, while Zadran top-scored in the innings with his fiery 33-ball 52. Both well-set openers were eventually removed by senior Zimbabwe spinner Sikandar Raza in quick succession, but handy contributions from Sediqullah Atal (25 off 22), Azmatullah Omarzai (27 off 21) and Shahidullah (22* off 13) catapulted Afghanistan to a monumental 180-6 in 20 overs.

For Zimbabwe, Sikandar Raza unfurled the spell of the high-scoring innings with tight figures of 3-20.

Omarzai and Mujeeb Ur Rahman wrap up ZIM for 127

Afghanistan fast bowler Azmatullah Omarzai and ace spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman claimed seven wickets between them to shoot out the entire Zimbabwe line-up for just 127 in 16.1 overs to secure a comprehensive 53-run victory. While Omarzai snared figures of 3-29, Rahman skittled four wickets at an expense of just 20 runs from his three overs. Abdollah Ahmadzai also chipped in with two scalps of his own, including the one to finish off the game, to claim 2-20.

For Zimbabwe, tailender Tinotenda Maposa unleashed five cracking boundaries in his fighting 15-ball 32 to scare off Afghanistan bowlers towards the end. However, barring Maposa and Brian Bennett, Tony Munyonga and Brad Evans; no other Zimbabwe batter managed to reach beyond the 20-run mark.