Tinashe Kusema
Zimpapers Sports Hub
AFGHANISTAN appear to have Zimbabwe’s number, and it is not even close.
The two nations kicked off yet another chapter in their budding rivalry, with Afghanistan taking the first of their three-match T20 series by 37 runs at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates yesterday.
Chevrons skipper Sikandar Raza won the toss and elected to field, after which Zimbabwe bowled out Afghanistan for 177.
However, the target could have been considerably lower had Zimbabwe not taken their foot off the pedal after taking early charge, with Afghanistan reeling at 66 for five after 11 overs.
A half-century by Ijaz Ahmadzai and a quick-fire cameo by Rashid Khan helped the Asians labour to what turned out to be an unassailable 177 before the Chevrons’ batting frailties saw them bundled out for 140.
Zimbabwe got off to a great start as the Chevrons’ seamers tore into Afghanistan’s top order, led by debutant Ernest Masuku.
The 33-year-old got his first two international wickets during a fiery opening spell for Zimbabwe, removing Sediqullah Atal and Mohammad Akram for two and four runs respectively, early in the innings.
Masuku had Atal caught behind by Zimbabwe wicketkeeper Tadiwanashe Marumani for two runs off two balls before trapping Akram leg-before-wicket for four runs off two balls during his first three overs in international cricket.
Zimbabwe’s other bowlers soon got in on the act as Wellington Masakadza removed Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz for 18 runs off 21 balls.
Masakadza had Gurbaz caught by Raza at extra cover while the skipper had Azmatullah Omarzai caught and bowled for seven runs off eight balls.
However, the hosts’ middle order soon turned the game on its head with three crucial partner-ships led by the duo of Shahidullah Kamal and Ijaz Ahmadzai.
The duo shared a sixth-wicket partnership that saw the two pile up 57 runs off 29 balls.
That stand was sandwiched between Kamal and Gurbaz’s fourth-wicket partnership of 27 runs off 35 balls and a 33-run stand off 12 balls by Ahmadzai and Khan for the seventh wicket.
These three partnerships rescued Afghanistan from the precarious position of 66 for five to 174 for eight before Zimbabwe wrapped up the lower order with two balls to spare in the innings.
Ahmadzai top-scored for Afghanistan with 52 runs off 22 balls while Kamal and Khan chipped in with 46 off 42 balls and 30 off 10 respectively.
Ahmadzai’s innings tied the record for the joint fastest half-century for Afghanistan in international cricket, the 50 coming off 20 balls.
He now joins the duo of Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi on that record.
Newman Nyamhuri finished as the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers with four wickets for 31 runs while Brad Evans and Masuku chipped in with two wickets for 34 and 41 runs respectively.
Raza and Masakadza each claimed a wicket.
There was little to write home about Zimbabwe’s chase as six batters failed to reach double figures.
These include opener Ben Curran (7), Marumani (7), Evans (4), Nyamhuri (2) and debutant Masuku (0), while Masakadza finished unbeaten on seven off two balls.
Partnerships were few and far between, with the only contributions of note being a second-wicket stand of 36 runs off 34 balls by Innocent Kaia and Brian Bennett and Raza and Ryan Burl’s 38 off 25 for the fourth wicket.
Fazalhaq Farooqi finished as the pick of the Afghanistan bowlers with three wickets for 13 runs, while the trio of Omarzai, Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman chipped in with two wickets each.
Kamal also got in on the action with a wicket as Afghanistan sealed the match with five balls to spare.
The two teams meet again tomorrow before wrapping up the three-match series on Sunday.
The series will then move onto the Test arena next week, a format Zimbabwe appear to have some semblance of domination over their Asian counterparts.
The two nations are slated to meet in a two-Test series starting on November 5.
The first Test is slated for November 5-9, while the second is scheduled for November 13-17, wrapping up the Chevrons’ time in the United Arab Emirates.
