Afghanistan won by 8 wickets Zimbabwe In the third and final ODI of their tour at Harare Sports Club. With this victory, Afghanistan won the series 2-0 after the first game was abandoned due to rain. The performance was highlighted by a dominant bowling display led by the 18-year-old Allah Ghazanfar and a chase designed by Afghanistan’s top fighters.
Zimbabwe innings: fight for momentum
Opting to bat first after losing the toss, Zimbabwe were in early trouble as the Afghan bowlers masterfully exploited the conditions. Zimbabwean openers Joylord Gumbie (3 off 14) and Ben Curran (12 off 31) struggled to get the innings off to a strong start. Craig Ervine’s (5-for-5) shortstop ended with Azmatullah Omarzai’s sharp outing.
The only resistance in Zimbabwe’s innings came from veteran Sean Williams, who counter-attacked with 60 off 61 balls, including 6 fours and 3 powerful sixes. Sikandar Raza took 13 off 18 but the rest of the innings faltered under Afghanistan’s relentless onslaught. Zimbabwe eventually scored a paltry 127 in 30.1 overs.
Allah Ghazanfar was the star with the ball and claimed a career best of 5/33 in his full quota of 10 overs. Rashid Khan provided excellent support with 3/38 in eight overs, while Fareed Malik and Omarzai took a wicket each.
The follow-up to Afghanistan: Sustained and clinical
Chasing 128, Afghanistan’s opponents made a solid ground. Sediqullah Atal led the charge with 50 off 52 balls laced with 4 fours and two sixes. His aggressive approach ensured there were no early jitters for the visitors. Abdul Malik hit a sick 66 from 29, holding one end as Afghanistan built a steady partnership.
Rahmat Shah (17 off 23) and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (20 off 22) ensured there were no hiccups in the chase, with Shahidi sealing the win with a boundary. Afghanistan reached the target only 26.5 timescomfortably ahead of Zimbabwe’s paltry total.
Richard Ngarawa (1/32) and Trevor Gwandu (1/27) managed a wicket each for Zimbabwe, but their efforts were not enough to halt Afghanistan’s march to victory.
🏆#New Cover Image | #AfghanAtalan | #ZIMvAFG | #Famous NationVictory Team pic.twitter.com/61PRFSL7eY
– Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) December 21, 2024
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Keynote speeches and series conclusion
Afghanistan’s dominance in the series was evident, especially in the bowling department, where young talents like Ghazanfar have stepped up. Ghazanfar’s match-winning performance in the final ODI sealed an impressive series for the visitors.
For Zimbabwe, the series highlighted the need for more consistency, especially in their batting line-up, which has failed to perform under pressure. Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza remain their standout players, but the team will need collective improvement as they focus on the Test series starting on December 26 at the Queens Sports Club.
