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Mehluli Sibanda in BULAWAYO
AS if an embarrassing One Day International cricket series defeat to Afghanistan was not enough, Zimbabwe went down to the same opponents by six wickets in the first Twenty20 International at Queens Sports Club yesterday. Zimbabwe, aided by half centuries from openers Sikandar Raza and Chamunorwa Chibhabha, posted 153-5 in 20 overs after they had won the toss and elected to bat.
That target proved not enough to challenge Afghanistan who cruised to victory at the loss of just four wickets with five balls to spare. Contributions down the order from Najibullah Zadran, who made 37, and Mohammad Nabi’s 33, in a partnership of 69 for the fifth wicket, sealed the deal. Zimbabwe’s openers Raza and Chamunorwa Chibhabha gave the home side a terrific start with a 58-run stand scored in the first six overs of fielding restrictions.
Raza reached his maiden T20I 50 in 31 deliveries hitting five fours and one six. Chibhabha, on 34, offered a chance only for wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad and Amir Hamza to disturb each other which allowed the ball to drop to safety. Zimbabwe lost Raza with 100 runs on the board, caught and bowled by Khan 59 from 40 balls, an innings comprised of five fours and one six.
Chibhabha got to his fifth T20I 50 off 42 balls with six fours. He added four more runs prior to being clean bowled by Dawlat Zadran to bring an end to an innings which lasted 47 balls, made up of six fours.
Sean Williams went for a costly 16 off 18, his off-stump knocked over by Zadran who struck next ball when he bowled Craig Ervine for a duck. Malcolm Waller got a bottom edge off the hat-trick ball which went for four runs. Skipper Elton Chigumbura departed first ball of last over for 12, dismissed by off spinner Nabi, who had him taken by Gulbadin Naib.
Richmond Mutumbami slapped the last ball of a Nabi delivery for a six to take Zimbabwe past the 150 run mark. Zadran later named man-of-the-match finished with three wickets for 29 runs in four overs at 7.25 runs per over while Khan had one wicket for 20 runs in four overs. Needing 7.7 runs per over, Afghanistan’s opening pair of Shahzad and Usman Ghani kept them on course with 48 runs scored in the first six overs of innings.
Left arm spinner Tendai Chisoro found the breakthrough, Shahzad caught by Ervine for 34. Ghani followed in the next over for 13 runs, bowled by Wellington Masakadza. Afghanistan were three down for 82 runs, skipper Asghar Stanikzai run out by Christopher Mpofu.
Three runs later, Williams had Karim Sadeq, taken behind by Mutumbami. Just as Zimbabwe thought they were back in the game, Najibullah Zadran and Nabi took the match away.
The pair took 14 runs off Masakadza’s last over to take Afghanistan within 25 runs of victory. Afghanistan required six runs in the last over bowled by Mpofu. Zadran smashed the first ball of that over to seal the win for the visitors. The two teams meet in the second T20I at the same venue tomorrow.
Online Reporter