adminMehluli Sibanda at Queens Sports Club
A POOR batting display by Zimbabwe allowed Afghanistan to level the five-match one-day international cricket series after the visitors won the fourth ODI by three wickets with 20 balls to spare at Queens Sports Club yesterday.
The two teams are now level at 2-2 going into the deciding ODI at the same venue tomorrow.
Zimbabwe posted a meagre 184 runs for the loss of eight wickets, thanks to a fighting 86 runs off 114 deliveries by Sikandar Raza. In response, the Afghans, aided by 80 runs off 81 balls by opener Mohammad Shahzad, made 185 runs for seven wickets in 46.4 overs to romp to victory.
Having won the toss for the first time in this series, Zimbabwe elected bat but never recovered from losing early wickets.
They found themselves two down with just 13 runs on the board, both batsmen dismissed by Dawlat Zadran.
Richmond Mutumbami was trapped leg before wicket for five runs and Craig Ervine departed for one run, caught behind by Shahzad.
Chamunorwa Chibhabha and Sean Williams brought stability to the Zimbabwe innings, but their partnership yielded just 30 runs.
It got worse for Zimbabwe when they were four down with 45 runs when Chibhabha was trapped in front for 26 runs.
As things were steadying, skipper Elton Chigumbura was run out by
Shafiquillah Shafaq for 15 runs when after initially hesitating to run for a single Raza had called.
Zimbabwe were soon on 82/6 when Tinotenda Mutombodzi was stumped by Shahzad for four runs off the bowling of leg spinner Rashid Khan.
Just to show how much Zimbabwe struggled, they only reached 100 runs in the 35th over.
Raza reached his half century from 74 deliveries in an innings made up of four fours and a six. He was involved in a 65-run stand for the seventh wicket with Luke
Jongwe, whose innings was brought to an end by Mohammad Nabi, who had him caught in the deep by
Samiullah Shenwari.
Raza fell to Dawlat Zadran in the last over, also snared in the deep by Shenwari.
Zadran finished with three wickets for 37 runs in nine overs that included two maidens, while Khan took two wickets for 37 runs in his allotted 10 overs.
Requiring 3.7 runs per over, Afghanistan never looked under any threat, with their opening pair of Noor Ali Zadran and Shahzad putting on 72 runs.
Left-arm spinner Tendai Chisoro struck when he had Zadran caught at point by Chigumbura.
Shahzad’s 50 came off 64 balls with four fours and one six as
Afghanistan moved closer to their target.
Further wickets by Chisoro and Jongwe brought a bit of hope for Zimbabwe as it got tense right at the end, but Khan slammed the fourth ball of the 47th over to secure victory for the tourists.
Chisoro finished with three wickets for 38 runs in 10 overs, while Williams picked up two wickets for 31 runs from 8.4 overs. Jongwe and Wellington
Masakadza took one wicket apiece.
Online Reporter