Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan 1st T20I match review: Afghanistan continue their winning streak

Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan 1st T20I match review: Afghanistan continue their winning streak: Afghanistan have decided that they would now try and continue the winning streak from here. After winning an exciting final match of the ODI series, they carried forward the momentum into the 2 match T20I series by winning the 1st match comfortably.

To begin the day, Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bat first. Rashid Khan and Usman Ghani for Afghanistan and T Chisoro and W. Masakadza for Zimbabwe made their T20I debut today.

Sikandar Raza and Chamu Chibhabha opened the innings for Zimbabwe. Both started off fantastically and cobbled a 100 run partnership before Raza (59 runs off 49 deliveries) got out caught and bowled by rookie leggie Rashid Khan.

With such an amazing start to their innings, it was expected that rest of the batsmen would take advantage and post a dominating total on the scoreboard.

But, Sean Williams, the new batsman in, took too much time to get himself settled. Chibhabha’s batting also looked lethargic. Both seemed to be accumulating runs in a Twenty20 match rather than trying to gain the upper hand.

Soon, Afghanistan skipper Stanikzai unleashed his best bowler, Dawlat Zadran on the struggling Zimbabwe batsmen. And, he proved to the chief destructor today. His first spell was nicely negotiated, but he utilised them greatly in his second spell. Fist, he wrapped Chibhabha’s case and then cleaned up Sean Williams in his very next over. Zadran looked hungry for wickets as he clean bowled Craig Ervine with a well-directed swinging yorker.

The Zimbabwe innings soon folded for an under par score of 153 runs, a total which was at least 35 runs short off par.

Dawlat Zadran is perhaps becoming the Wasim Akram of Afghanistan. The comparison is being drawn because of his fantastic command over the swinging yorker throughout this tour. At one stage of the game, he was on a hat-trick. Zadran finished with figures of 3/29 today. The interesting part; all his wicket came off impeccable yorkers shattering the stumps. He denied Zimbabwe the final boost they were seeking during the last overs. Mohammed Nabi and Rashid Khan also chipped in with one wicket each.

Coming into the chase, Afghanistan did not get a good start as compared to Zimbabwe as Mohd. Shahzad departed for a quick 38 runs off 28 deliveries.

Afghanistan never looked in a very commanding position as they kept losing their batsmen regularly. Usman Ghani (13 runs from 34 deliveries), Skipper Asghar Stanikzai (18 runs off 10 deliveries) and Karim Sadiq (17 runs off 19 deliveries) were very ordinary with the bat. At this stage, the game was slightly balanced on Zimbabwe’s side.

Afghanistan was 85/4 in the 11th over. The required runs were not very high, they need just 69 runs from 54 balls. However, the concern for them was regular fall of wickets.

However, Mohammad Nabi (33 runs from 29 deliveries) and Najibullah Zadran (37 from 26 deliveries) soon steadied the chase and scored at rapid pace, eventually turning the tables for Afghanistan. Together they shared a match winning 69 runs stand.

The match looked as if nearing yet another exciting finish with six required off six deliveries. But, Najibullah Zadran hit the first ball of the over for a six eventually winning the match for Afghanistan comfortably.

Zimbabwe bowlers were having a good day until Nabi and Najibullah came to the party. Tendai Chisoro (1/26), W. Masakadza (1/39) and Sean Willians (1/20) were their most successful bowlers.

Afghanistan continued their dream runs with this win. Afghanistan never fails to impress. The amount of improvement they are showing every passing day is commendable.

While on the other hand, it appears that the hangover of the ODI loss hasn’t yet drained out of the minds of Zimbabwe players. They need to push themselves and win the second T20I match to level the series in order to avoid an embarrassment at the hands of Afghanistan.

Brief Scores:

Zimbabwe – 153-5 20 overs (Sikandar Raza 59, Chibhabha 54; Dawlat Zadran 3-29)

Afghanistan – 154/4 20 overs ( Najibullah Zadran 37, Mohammad Shahzad 34; S Williams  1-20)

Afghanistan won by 6 wickets.

Man of the Match – Dawlat Zadran