adminMehluli Sibanda in BULAWAYO
AN intriguing end-of-series battle is on at Queens Sports Club this morning when Zimbabwe go up against Afghanistan in the fifth One Day International cricket encounter. Zimbabwe missed a great opportunity to wrap up the series after they turned on a pathetic batting display to lose by three wickets in the fourth ODI at the same venue on Thursday. Having won the toss for the first time in the series, Zimbabwe put up a shambolic show with the bat on their way to posting 184-8, the highest score being 86 runs from middle order batsman Sikandar Raza.
Just to show how poor Zimbabwe’s batting has been, the top three leading run scorers in the series are from Afghanistan. Former captain Mohammad Nabi is the highest run scorer so far with 170 runs to his name, followed by wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad with 150 runs while opening batsman Noor Ali Zadran is third with 148 runs.
Zimbabwe wicketkeeper and opening batsman Richmond Mutumbami is the fourth highest run contributor in the series with 144 runs, behind him is Raza on 118 runs with another opener Chamunorwa Chibhabha on 110 runs.
Raza literally battled through his 113-ball innings as a knee problem prevented him from fully running between the wickets.
Speaking during a press conference after the match, Raza disclosed that a decision was still to be made on whether he should make the team based on his fitness levels. Should Raza not deemed fit enough to play in this crucial series decider, Brian Chari, with four ODI appearances so far, is most likely to be thrown into the fray.
Zimbabwe will bank on their batting line up of Chibhabha, Mutumbami, Sean Williams, Craig Ervine, skipper Elton Chigumbura and Tinotenda Mutombodzi to score adequate runs to ensure the team of victory.
The slow bowlers have been superb for Zimbabwe and almost won the match on Thursday. Left-arm spinner Tendai Chisoro is the leading wicket taker with nine wickets, followed by another left-arm slow bowler Wellington Masakadza who has so far taken seven wickets, pace bowler Luke Jongwe has picked up five wickets, one more than left arm spinner Sean Williams. The weakest link in the bowling attack has been seamer Tinashe Panyangara who only has three wickets at the expense of 125 runs.
It is yet to be seen if the selectors will persist with Panyangara or opt for either Neville Madziva or Taurai Muzarabani to take the new ball with Jongwe. Afghanistan will be fired up as the prospect of their first ever ODI series in Zimbabwe loom large. Last year, when they visited the country, they bounced back from 2-0 down to share the spoils at 2-2 with Zimbabwe.
The Afghans are sure to draw on that kind of inspiration today.
Nabi, Shahzad, Noor Ali Zadran and skipper Asghar Stanikzai are the key batsmen for the tourists in their quest to clinch the series. Pace bowler Dawlat Zadran, left arm spinner Amir Hamza as well as leg spinner Rashid Khan have been in decent form with ball in hand and are the Afghanistan bowlers expected to give the Zimbabwean bowlers a hard time.
Online Reporter