Afghanistan Level Series with Convincing Win Over Zimbabwe
Darwish Rasooli’s maiden international fifty and a stellar bowling performance led Afghanistan to a 50-run victory over Zimbabwe in the second T20I at Harare Sports Club on Friday. The win brought the series to a 1-1 tie, with the decider scheduled for Saturday.
Rasooli Shines with the Bat
Recalled to the lineup, Rasooli delivered a crucial 58 off 42 balls, including a six and six boundaries. His innings helped Afghanistan recover from an early stumble, reaching 153 for 6 in their 20 overs. He was supported by Azmatullah Omarzai and Gulbadin Naib, who contributed valuable runs in the middle order.
For Zimbabwe, Ryan Burl and Trevor Gwandu each claimed two wickets, providing some resistance but failing to restrict Afghanistan to a chaseable total.
Afghanistan’s Bowlers Dominate
In response, Zimbabwe struggled to build partnerships after opener Brian Bennett's 27. Once he fell, leaving Zimbabwe at 49 for 4, only captain Sikandar Raza offered resistance. The rest of the batting lineup faltered, with only one other player reaching double figures.
Afghanistan’s bowlers were relentless, with Naveen-ul-Haq taking 3 for 19 and Rashid Khan dismantling Zimbabwe’s middle order with 3 for 20. Mujeeb Ur Rahman added two crucial wickets, ending Zimbabwe’s innings at 103 in 17.4 overs.
Captains React
Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan praised Rasooli’s innings and the improved bowling effort.
“We are still working on solidifying our top order, but Darwish's performance was remarkable. The bowlers stuck to their plans and hit the right areas after missing the mark in the first match,” said Rashid.
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza lamented his team’s inconsistent batting.
“Our Achilles heel remains our inability to post consistent totals. The bowling and fielding were great, but we needed to back it up with the bat. This was a better pitch than the first game, so this defeat hurts,” Raza admitted.
Decider Awaits
Afghanistan, semi-finalists at the recent T20 World Cup, will look to carry the momentum into the final match, while Zimbabwe aim to bounce back.
){kind=link}