Afg v Zim 5th ODI Review: Naib helps Afghanistan clinch a thrilling win and the series

With both teams equally placed 2-2 ahead of the fifth ODI, this match-decider was to be a great game with both equally competent teams locking horns. It was Afghanistan’s adaptability vs Zimbabwe’s never give up attitude. Afghanistan who began the series with a dominant attitude lost out the next two matches to Zimbabwe with flaws in their batting and ability to bowl in the powerplays. A win for Afghanistan would ensure they will be back in the top 10 rankings and just their second series victory against a test playing nation but the momentum presently is with Zimbabwe.

It was a thrilling match with Zimbabwe fighting well in the first innings with the experienced Hamilton Masakadza’s fourth ODI ton paving the way for them to post a challenging target of 249 against the hosts. This ton was a highlight to this innings with the inclusion of Amir Hamza’s 3-41. In the second innings, Afghanistan had a good opening partnership of 46 but then the batting continued to falter and when Zimbabwe were about to win the victory, Afghanistan clinched the match and the series from jaws of death with brilliant knock of 82* by Naib and a supportive role by a 17-year-old Rashid Khan on the course for the victory.

It was Chigumbura’s luck that got him another toss in his favor and called again to bat first. Zimbabwe went ahead with an unchanged team and Afghanistan brought in Nowroz and Gulbadin for Sadiq and Shafiqullah.

Amir Hamza began well for the Afghans with a maiden first over. In addition to that in his second over he trapped the inform Chibhabha leg before wicket. But sadly for the hosts, this good start didn’t bring good news with the pair of Peter Moor and Hamilton Masakadza putting up a massive 101 run partnership before Mirwais Ashraf bowled a length ball and Peter Moor misjudged it and the wicket was completed with a good low catch by Noor Ali Zadran. Like the earlier match, he didn’t capitalize well and score much more runs. The next partnership also brought some impetus with Mutumbani and Masakadza adding 65 runs to the board before Mutumbani perishing to a slog sweep to Nabi. Sikandar Raza joined the crease next and made 29 runs and together with Masakadza totaled up 44 runs and this partnership saw a brilliant century made by Hamilton Masakadza just off 104 deliveries, including nine boundaries and three sixes with a healthy strike rate of 96.19. Sikandar Raza’s presence at the crease was short-lived with him falling to Rashid Khan and he was followed by Malcolm Waller who got dismissed for an unfortunate duck to Dawlat Zadran. In the 47

The next partnership also brought some impetus with Mutumbani and Masakadza adding 65 runs to the board before Mutumbani perishing to a slog sweep to Nabi. Sikandar Raza joined the crease next and made 29 runs and together with Masakadza totaled up 44 runs and this partnership saw a brilliant century made by Hamilton Masakadza just off 104 deliveries, including nine boundaries and three sixes with a healthy strike rate of 96.19. Sikandar Raza’s presence at the crease was short-lived with him falling to Rashid Khan and he was followed by Malcolm Waller who got dismissed for an unfortunate duck to Dawlat Zadran. In the 47^th over Hamilton Masakadza lost his wicket to Rashid Khan after a well made 110 off just 111 balls. In the next over, Luke Jongwe got out in the most unfashionable way possible. He managed to hit the ball directly over the fence but he took a tad step back extra and got out hit-wicket. In the last over, Amir Hamza wrapped things up for the Afghans by picking up the last two Zimbabwean wickets. Zimbabwe would’ve hoped to put on a score of around 280 but Afghanistan managed to pull things back and restricting the total to 248. The positive side to this innings was all the Zimbabwean batsmen today barring Chibhabha and the unfortunate Waller showed intent and played well as a unit. Mohammed Nabi bowled really well and supported Amir Hamza with figures reading 10-1-23-2 hindering the batsmen in piling up the runs. The six runs missed out by Jongwe hopefully for the visitors will not impact the result of the game.

Zimbabwe would’ve hoped to put on a score of around 280 but Afghanistan managed to pull things back and restricting the total to 248. The positive side to this innings was all the Zimbabwean batsmen today barring Chibhabha and the unfortunate Waller showed intent and played well as a unit. Mohammed Nabi bowled really well and supported Amir Hamza with figures reading 10-1-23-2 hindering the batsmen in piling up the runs. The six runs missed out by Jongwe hopefully for the visitors will not impact the result of the game.

In the next over, Luke Jongwe got out in the most unfashionable way possible. He managed to hit the ball directly over the fence but he took a tad step back extra and got out hit-wicket. In the last over, Amir Hamza wrapped things up for the Afghans by picking up the last two Zimbabwean wickets. Zimbabwe would’ve hoped to put on a score of around 280 but Afghanistan managed to pull things back and restricting the total to 248. The positive side to this innings was all the Zimbabwean batsmen today barring Chibhabha and the unfortunate Waller showed intent and played well as a unit. Mohammed Nabi bowled really well and supported Amir Hamza with figures reading 10-1-23-2 hindering the batsmen in piling up the runs. The six runs missed out by Jongwe hopefully for the visitors will not impact the result of the game.

The positive side to this innings was all the Zimbabwean batsmen today barring Chibhabha and the unfortunate Waller showed intent and played well as a unit. Mohammed Nabi bowled really well and supported Amir Hamza with figures reading 10-1-23-2 hindering the batsmen in piling up the runs. The six runs missed out by Jongwe hopefully for the visitors will not impact the result of the game.

It was a great performance by the visitors with the bat and it had to be seen how the hosts would respond to it.

The hosts began their innings well with openers Noor Ali Zadran and Mohammad Shahzad establishing a good foundation in the beginning of their chase. Scoring boundaries of almost ever over, they put up 46 runs together before Jongwe took out Shahzad by rattling his stumps apart. In his very next over, Nawroz Mangal got out for 2 playing a rash stroke to Luke Jongwe. It wasn’t long before the other opener Noor Ali Zadran threw his wicket away attempting a pull shot and getting dismissed for 30. He wasted a good start and he could’ve gone ahead and made more runs for his team and for himself. Hashmatullah Shahidi walked in to join Nabi in the middle and they played well in an attempt to see

He wasted a good start and he could’ve gone ahead and made more runs for his team and for himself. Hashmatullah Shahidi walked in to join Nabi in the middle and they played well in an attempt to see through this match. A 55-run partnership with not many risks anchored their team but, unfortunately, Nabi got out at 26 to a cracking delivery by Cremer and in the very next over Hashmatullah Shahidi got beaten and his stumps got kissed to a beauty from Sikandar Raza.

The skipper Asghar Stanikzai and Gulbadin Naib were both new to the crease and Zimbabwe with half the squad back in the pavilion had a great opportunity from here to seal the series. The innings progressed slowly with the skipper under complete pressure to do his best in an attempt to win the match. Naib didn’t do much with the bat as well just assisting his captain till Asghar lost his wicket to Sikandar Raza by edging the ball to the wicketkeeper. Rashid Khan came in to assist Naib and this partnership set the course for the Afghanistan win. A match-winning 85 run partnership was what the hosts needed to win the match and the series and that’s what they gave to their team. Naib scored the bulk of the runs in the partnership scoring 52 of just 38 balls. Shots fired down to all sections of the stadium and Zimbabwe started to lose grip on the match. The 17-year old Rashid supported Naib really well till he got dismissed for a well-made 31 to a length ball by Madziva. Madziva completed

Madziva completed his over with another wicket in the last ball taking down Mirwais Ashraf for a golden duck. After 47 overs Zimbabwe and Bangladesh were equally placed at 225-6. Zimbabwe looked like they were back in the match but it seemed like ‘too little, too late’. Even history didn’t support Zimbabwe, with them losing the last four series after them and the opposition was 2-2 in a 5 match series. Chisoro did manage to come back with a 7 run over but in the ultimate over, Naib hit a four and won the match convincingly with a six and ended his triumphant knock with an unbeaten 82 of 68 balls with 3 fours and 6 sixes.

Ironically, Naib wasn’t played in any of the previous matches in the series and he scored his maiden fifty in a comeback match after around a span of 1 year. The pendulum swung back in the favor of the Afghans and Gulbadin Naib ended up scoring the highest ever score by a batsman in an ODI and steered his team to victory. Zimbabwe like their history spoke, they didn’t play well in big games and they should learn to absorb pressure. The best bowler for the visitors was Luke Jongwe who took 3 wickets for 50 runs. In the end, Afghanistan won a brilliant match and won their second straight series against the test-playing nation Zimbabwe and came back to number 10 in the ICC ODI Rankings. Zimbabwe will look to bounce back in the upcoming 2-T20I Series and Afghanistan will look to remain strong and win the next series as well.

The best bowler for the visitors was Luke Jongwe who took 3 wickets for 50 runs. In the end, Afghanistan won a brilliant match and won their second straight series against the test-playing nation Zimbabwe and came back to number 10 in the ICC ODI Rankings. Zimbabwe will look to bounce back in the upcoming 2-T20I Series and Afghanistan will look to remain strong and win the next series as well.

Brief Scores

Zimbabwe: 248/10 (H Masakadza 110, P Moor 42, A Hamza 3/41, M Nabi 2/23)

Afghanistan: 254/8 (G Naib 82, H Shahidi 32, R Khan 31, L Jongwe 3/50, S Raza 2/37)

Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by 2 wickets

Awards presented in the presentation ceremony

Maximum boundaries in the series – Mohammad Shahzad (22 Boundaries and 9 Sixes)

Best Batsman of the series – Hamilton Masakadza (266 Runs)

Best Bowler of the series – Amir Hamza (11 Wickets)

Man of the Match – Gulbadin Naib

Man of the Series – Mohammad Shahzad