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Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
AFTER a massive win against Nepal at Queens Sports Club on Sunday, Zimbabwe face a defining moment in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier when they face archrivals Afghanistan at the same venue today.
If the Chevrons are to be taken as serious contenders for one of two slots available for the ICC Cricket World Cup in England next year, they have to beat Afghanistan.
A look at the stats shows that Afghanistan head into the match as favourites. In 24 encounters between the two teams since 2014, Afghanistan have won 15, with Zimbabwe managing nine wins.
While the first few contests between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan were always 50-50 situations, the Asians have surged ahead lately, as evidenced by their recent 4-1 series victory in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Although Zimbabwe recorded a comfortable 116-run win over Nepal, across town at Bulawayo Athletic Club, Afghanistan suffered a shock seven-wicket loss to Scotland.
Zimbabwe’s opening pair of Cephas Zhuwao and Solomon Mire set the foundation for Sikandar Raza as well as Brendan Taylor to each score a ton. Man of the match Sikandar Raza top scored with 123 runs, while Taylor made exactly 100 as Zimbabwe posted 380 for the loss of six wickets.
An area of concern for coach Heath Streak is the failure to bowl out Nepal after posting such a huge score. Skipper Graeme Cremer conceded that the three seamers, who only took four wickets among themselves, were off the mark, something they cannot afford against Afghanistan.
The batting looks settled with Zhuwao, Mire, Hamilton Masakadza, Taylor and Raza certain to keep their places for today’s encounter. Streak has a lot of considerations to make about his bowling attack. He can replace one of the seamers with left-arm spinner Tendai Chisoro, who is also a handy lower order batsman. The other option would be to drop Malcolm Waller and replace him with Chisoro. Raza described today’s clash with Afghanistan as a match they have to win since their desire is to be in the final on March 25.
“We have said on a lot of occasions that the game against Afghanistan is certainly a special game. People have called it a grudge match, but for me it’s just a game of qualifiers that we have to win because come the 25th when the final is played, we need to be one of the teams,” Raza said.
With free entry to the match, Bulawayo cricket lovers are again expected to turn out in their numbers, as they did on Sunday. Raza was grateful for the support they got from the thousands of fans that packed Queens Sports Club.
“To see all those numbers of all ages that came out, I thought that was fantastic. It was brilliant to have all that kind of support,” he said.
Afghanistan are certain to come out firing against Zimbabwe after their loss to Scotland. Explosive opening batsman Mohammad Shahzad, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran and Mohammad Nabi will be key for the Asians with the bat.
Stand in Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan was expensive against Scotland with the leg spinner conceding 68 runs in nine overs, something which certainly affected his confidence. If the Zimbabwean batsmen can capitalise on that, seeing that he is the man that has terrorised them in the past, then chances of the home team winning are high.
Besides Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Nabi and Gulbadin Naib are some of the bowlers, who have given the Chevrons’ batsmen a hard time in the past.
Zimbabwe top Group B due to a superior net run rate over Scotland and it would be wonderful for the country if they can overcome Afghanistan to remain in pole position. — @Mdawini_29
Online Reporter