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Mehluli Sibanda in Bulawayo
ZIMBABWE suffered further embarrassment against Afghanistan, this time around being clean swept 2-0 in the Twenty20 International cricket series after losing by five wickets with one ball remaining in the second T20 at Queens Sports Club yesterday.
The visiting Afghans have certainly claimed the Queens Sports Club as their own following their dominance over the hosts in the one-day and T20 series.
Half centuries from Usman Ghani (65) and man-of-the-match Gulbadin Naib (54 not out) saw Afghanistan make 191 for the loss of five wickets in 19.5 overs yesterday to overcome Zimbabwe.
A brisk 54 runs off 26 deliveries from Sean Williams had propelled Zimbabwe, who won the toss and opted to bat, to 190 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs.
Yesterday’s series victory for the visitors was another slap in the face for the local game as Zimbabwe lost the five-match One Day International contest at the same venue 3-2.
Zimbabwe got their innings off to a disastrous start yesterday when Chamunorwa Chibhabha was bowled by Dawlat Zadran for a second ball duck in what was a maiden wicket over for the bowler.
Just when Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams seemed to stabilise things, Raza departed for a 13-ball 21 runs after lofting a delivery back to the bowler Naib.
Williams ripped the Afghanistan bowlers apart, scoring his second Twenty20 International half ton. His 50 came off 21 balls in an innings made up of eight fours and two sixes.
Rashid Khan got the big wicket of Williams, taken in the deep by Shafiqullah Shafaq for 54 runs off 26 balls, eight fours and two sixes.
Richmond Mutumbami and Elton Chigumbura put on 60 runs for the third wicket prior to Mutumbami given out leg before wicket for 43 runs.
Chigumbura made 33 runs to take Zimbabwe to a challenging total.
Requiring 9.55 runs per over, Afghanistan were kept in the hunt by opener Ghani whose 65 runs came off 45 balls. Ghani’s knock was made up of three fours and the same number of sixes.
Naib reached his 50 in 28 balls, seven fours and made sure to stay in until the end.
It however, got exciting when Karem Sadeq was run out by Taurai Muzarabani in the penultimate over.
Afghanistan needed nine runs in the last over bowled by Christopher Mpofu, Naib and Shafaq at the crease. Shafaq from first ball, the second was a dot ball, the third delivery went for four runs to leave Afghanistan needing three runs from the last three.
The fourth ball went for a single to bring it down to two from the last two balls which was achieved with one delivery to go.
Online Reporter