Afghanistan, on Tuesday, June 14, defeated Zimbabwe by 35 runs in the third and final match of the three-match T20I series at the Harare Sports Club. With the win, thew Afghans also secured a 3-0 series victory.
Mohammad Nabi and Co. faltered with the bat and posted a score of 125/8 on the board. Hazratullah Zazai, Ihsanullah Janat and Afsar Zazai got into double digits, but failed to convert.
Ryan Burl accounted for the crucial scalps of Najibullah Zadran and Sharafuddin Ashraf, who both failed to get going. Skipper Nabi came to the party and made sure that his team didn’t crumble like a house of cards.
The veteran chipped in with a handy 30-ball knock of 31 with two fours before getting out to Luke Jongwe in the penultimate over. Burl and Sikandar Raza picked up two wickets apiece for Zimbabwe.
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Wesley Madhevere and Innocent Kaia took the home team off to a decent start with a 25-run stand off 3.1 overs. But after Ashraf removed Madhevere, the Zimbabwean innings lost momentum.
17-year-old left-arm wrist spinner, Noor Ahmad, ran through Zimbabwe’s batting line-up with a spell of 4-0-10-4. Ahmad, who was a part of the Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2022, got the important wickets of Tadiwanashe Marumani, Craig Ervine, Donald Tiripano and debutant Clive Madande.
Ashraf lent Noor apt support as he finished with bowling figures of 4-0-13-2. Fazalhaq Farooqi and Rashid Khan also got one wicket apiece. From 25/0, Zimbabwe were restricted to 90/9 in their quota of 20 overs.