1st T20I: Swashbuckling Rahmanullah Gurbaz stars in Afghanistan’s win over Zimbabwe | Cricket News – Times of India

Read More/Less


ABU DHABI: Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz smashed a fiery half century to anchor Afghanistan’s convincing 48-run win over Zimbabwe in the first Twenty20 international in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
The dashing right-hander cracked seven towering sixes and six boundaries in his dominating 45-ball 87 to steer Afghanistan to an imperious 198-5 in 20 overs after they won the toss and batted at Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
Ace spinner Rashid Khan (3-28), Karim Janat (2-14) and Fareed Ahmad (2-31) then restricted Zimbabwe to 150-7 in their 20 overs to give Afghanistan a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
The second match is on Friday and the third on Saturday, both also in Abu Dhabi.
Scorecard
It was Gurbaz who gave the cavalier Afghanistan the robust start of 80 in just eight overs and continued after Janat (26) fell, adding another 74 for the second wicket with skipper Asghar Afghan who made a 38-ball 55.
Asghar hit six boundaries and two sixes.
Gurbaz holed out to leg-spinner Ryan Burl while Asghar fell to pacer Blessing Muzarabani in the final over as Afghanistan added 42 in the last five overs.
Muzarabani was the pick of Zimbabwe bowlers with 2-38 while Richard Ngarava took 2-43.
Asghar hailed the team’s spirit.
“The first game of the series is very important,” said Asghar. “If you win, the morale is high. Rahmanullah and Janat partnership was good. Then bowlers were very good.”
Zimbabwe were also off the track rapidly, putting 38 by 4.5 overs but then lost wickets at regular intervals to lose the momentum required for the big chase.
Opener Tinashe Kamunhukamwe scored a quick 37-ball 44 with four boundaries while Sikandar Raza and skipper Sean Williams made 22 each which were not enough.
This becomes Afghanistan’s ninth win in 10 Twenty20 internationals against Zimbabwe, with just one defeat.

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe, 2nd Test: Hashmatullah Shahidi becomes first Afghan player to smash Test double hundred | Cricket News – Times of India

Read More/Less


ABU DHABI: Hashmatullah Shahidi became the first Afghanistan player to smash a Test double hundred while his team notched up several batting records on a memorable day two of their second and final match against Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
Playing their sixth test match, the Afghans racked up 545-4, their highest total ever, before captain Asghar Afghan declared their first innings.
Their previous highest total was 342 when they beat Bangladesh in 2019 to register their first Test victory.
The skipper himself hit 164, which was briefly the highest Test total by an Afghan batsman until Shahidi eclipsed it.
The 307-run fourth-wicket stand between them was also the biggest partnership for Afghanistan who played their first test against India in 2018.
Shahidi took a single off Donald Tiripano to bring up his double hundred. He celebrated it with a roar, while team mates gave him a standing ovation and Zimbabwe players walked up to congratulate him.

Shahidi faced 443 balls for his 200 not out, which included 21 boundaries and a six.
At stumps on Day 2, Zimbabwe were 50 for no loss, trailing by 495 runs in their first innings.
Zimbabwe had won the opening Test at the same venue inside two days.



READ FULL ARTICLE HERE