Afghanistan secured a 2-0 series win against Zimbabwe in a high-scoring second T20 international, overcoming a disastrous start to post a massive 221/7 before restricting their opponents to 202/5. In a remarkable turnaround that saw over 400 runs scored, Afghanistan recovered from the depths of 5/4 within the first four overs to claim the series victory. Featuring a century each by both the teams, it was another run fest as more than 400 runs were scored. Chasing Zimbabwe got off to a promising start as they looked set to redeem for their mistakes. They spurned a golden opportunity to beat Afghanistan and level the series. Zimbabwe were trailing in the series 1-0 and it was a must-win game for them. He struck on successive deliveries to make it 5/4. They were left figuring out how to stop the flow of the runs. They threw away everything out of the boundary rope that was hurled at them.
Zimbabwe appeared to be in control early on after Brad Evans dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz for a duck and Mohammad Akram followed suit shortly after without scoring. Matigimu joined the attack to claim two consecutive wickets, removing captain Ibrahim Zadran and Shahidullah to leave the Afghan side struggling at 5/4. By the halfway mark, the team had managed only 45/5, having hit just a single boundary. Mohammad Abdullah covers major sports event like FIFA WC, Cricket WC and Formula One. Waging the lone battle single-handedly, raza showed a spirit of a true sportsman. They were 45/5 at the mid-way. Matiguma uprooted the stumps of captain Ibrahim Zadran to make it 4/3 and had Shahidullah caught by Marumani. After that there was no looking back.
The momentum shifted dramatically in the 11th over when Azmatullah Omarzai began his assault, hitting two sixes off Burl for 15 runs. Sadiqullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai added 33 runs for the fifth wicket to take the score to 38/4.
Omarzai and Ijaz Ahmed Ahmadzai orchestrated a massive 142-run partnership for the sixth wicket in just 8.5 overs, completely overwhelming the Zimbabwe bowling attack. Oamrzai and Ahmadzai were in a devastating mood.
Omarzai reached his maiden T20I century—becoming the first player in history to score a T20 century while batting at number six—and finished with 116 runs, including 12 sixes and five fours. Which means 92 out of 116 runs came in boundaries, he smashed 12 sixes and five fours.
Ahmadzai provided strong support, bringing up his own fifty in 25 balls with a flurry of boundaries, finishing with five fours and three sixes. Following their dismissals, Rashid Khan produced a late cameo, plundering 25 runs off the final six balls, including four towering sixes, to push the total to 221/7. This score stands as Afghanistan’s third-highest total in the format and their highest ever against Zimbabwe at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Azmatullah reached his fifty in just 30 balls with a boundary. The next 20 balls of his innings produced 66 runs. He also complemented his partner by playing firebrand cricket.
In response, Zimbabwe started brightly but struggled to maintain momentum against disciplined bowling. Sikander Raza mounted a valiant solo effort, remaining unbeaten on 106 off 56 balls with nine sixes and five boundaries, but lacked support from his teammates as wickets fell at regular intervals. Despite his aggressive batting, Zimbabwe fell short of the target by 19 runs. Sikander Raza tried to keep the chase alive with a fighting century but he did not get enough support from the other end. He took the command in his hands and started leading the charge.
The victory marks Afghanistan’s 17th win in their last 19 T20 matches against Zimbabwe, a rivalry they have dominated since 2014.
Zimbabwe, which had broken a long losing streak against the Afghans in 2021 and another in 2024, failed to capitalize on early opportunities in this must-win fixture. History shows the disparity between the two sides, with Afghanistan holding a commanding record at Sharjah, winning all five head-to-head matches at that venue. Earlier, Zimbabwe once again failed to capitalise on the dream start.
Statistically, the gulf between the two teams remains significant, with Afghanistan averaging 175 runs compared to Zimbabwe’s 148 over their last 19 encounters. Rashid Khan continues to lead the bowling charts in this fixture with 34 career scalps against Zimbabwe, well ahead of their leading bowler, Blessing Muzarabani, who has 14.
The match turned on a period of intense scoring during the final ten overs, where Afghanistan smashed 176 runs at an average of 17.6 per over. The final five overs alone accounted for 120 runs, effectively securing the win. Although Zimbabwe managed to dismiss the top five batters early, their inability to contain the middle order proved costly, turning what seemed like a potential blowout into a spectacle of power-hitting. After dismissing top five batsmen of Afghanistan, Zimbabwe bowlers became complacent and paid the price for it.
Ultimately, Zimbabwe’s inability to break the partnership between Omarzai and Ahmadzai in the latter half of the innings proved the defining factor. While Raza’s century provided a glimpse of hope for the visitors, the total proved too steep to chase down. Afghanistan maintains a perfect record in this series, having outclassed their opponents in both bowling and batting departments to wrap up the trophy with one match still to play. Afghanistan were in tatters and needed a big partnership to revive the innings. Both Omarzai and Ahamedzai combined to put the faltering back on track.
