Afghanistan level series

Off-spinner Sharafuddin Ashraf took three wickets as Afghanistan skittled hosts Zimbabwe for 159 to win the fourth and final one-day international by 100 runs on Thursday and draw the series 2-2.

Ashraf returned figures of three for 29 and along with seamer Dawlat Zadran (two for 39) was the pick of the bowlers as Afghanistan recorded their biggest ever 50-over victory by runs.

Having been sent into bat, Afghanistan posted a par-score of 259 as they were bowled out in the final over, wicketkeeper Shafiqullah Shafiq top-scoring with 56.

Seamer Donald Tiripano was the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers as he recorded career-best figures of five for 63.

Zimbabwe were in early trouble in their reply and never recovered from a position of 26 for six, despite a rally from debutant wicketkeeper Richmond Mutumbami, who struck 64 from 75 balls to play a lone hand for the hosts.

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SCORES IN BRIEF

AFGHANISTAN: 259 in 49.1 overs (Shafiq 56, Shenwari 40, Jamal 39, Nabi 37; Tiripano 5-63)

ZIMBABWE: 159 in 38 overs (Mutumbami 64,  Maruma 29; Ashraf 3-29)

Result: Afghanistan won by 100 runs and level four-match series 2-2.

Playe-of-the-match: DT Tiripano.

Player-of-the-series: Sikandar Raza.