Afghans cruise to easy win
Zimbabwe succumbed to their second consecutive defeat in the tri-nation T20I series as Afghanistan stayed on top throughout yesterday’s game to clinch a comfortable 28-run win at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
It was raining sixes in Mirpur, Najibullah Zadran striking a blistering unbeaten fifty to help Afghanistan post a huge total of 197 for five. In reply, Zimbabwe reached 168 for seven in the 20 allotted overs.
Regis Chakabva fought a lone battle from one end, top-scoring with an unbeaten 42. Skipper Brendon Taylor’s 27 was the second-highest score as Zimbabwe lost wickets at regular intervals.
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan was once again instrumental with his leg-spin and picked up two wickets, as did Fareed Malik.
The win continued Afghanistan’s dominance in the shortest format of the game, extending their winning run to 12 consecutive games. It was also their eighth successive win against Zimbabwe.
Earlier, Najibullah and Mohammad Nabi crushed the Zimbabwe bowlers. The duo combined for seven consecutive sixes in the latter part of the innings as Afghanistan added 88 runs in the last five overs.
It was Nabi who initiated the carnage, smiting four consecutive sixes off pacer Tendai Chatara in the 17th over. Najibullah added another three straight sixes to start the next over from Neville Madziva. In total, Afghanistan blasted 15 sixes, taking the record for most sixes by a team in a T20I innings in Mirpur.
Nabi was dismissed after a quickfire 18-ball 38, but Najibullah went on to register a 22-ball fifty and remained not out for a 30-ball 69, a knock that featured five fours and six sixes.
Afghanistan made a flying start as debutant opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored 43 off just 24 balls to lay the platform for a big total. However, Zimbabwe managed to make a comeback in the game and scalped three quick wickets, removing Hazratullah Zazai (13), Najeeb Tarakai (14) and Asghar Afghan (14), to reduce Afghanistan to 90 for 4 inside 14 overs.
Chatara and Sean Williams bagged two wickets each for Zimbabwe but remained on the expensive side.
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