Zimbabwe and Afghanistan’s T20I series opener in Harare ended in a thrilling draw. The home team just defeated the visitors on the final ball of play.
Tashinga Musekiwa’s calm 13-ball 16* gave Zimbabwe a thrilling four-wicket victory.
Afghanistan Post a Competitive 144/6
Afghanistan’s start was difficult after they chose to bat first. They lost four wickets early in the powerplay as their batting order faltered.
Early Wickets Rock Afghanistan
- Richard Ngarava was covered by Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who was the first to leave for a duck.
- With a fast 20 off 15 balls, including a four and a six, Hazratullah Zazai seemed good, but Afghanistan was left reeling after his dismissal.
- Early gains by Ngarava and Trevor Gwandu left Afghanistan at a vulnerable 33/4 in the sixth over.
Middle-Order Recovery
Mohammad Nabi and Karim Janat provided a vital combination that kept the innings steady.
- Janat took a measured approach, establishing a crucial stand with Azmatullah Omarzai before the latter’s collapse during an ambitious shot attempt.
- The innings were subsequently quickened by Nabi and Janat, who added 79 runs off of 49 balls.
Late Flourish
- Nabi scored 20 runs in the 17th over against Gwandu thanks to his spectacular play, which included one six and three fours.
- Janat achieved a well-deserved half-century, but Nabi fell six runs short.
- Afghanistan finished 144/6 in 20 overs after scoring 43 runs in the final four overs.
Key Performers:
- Karim Janat: 46 balls, 54*
- Nabi, Muhammad: 44 (27 balls)
- 3/28 Richard Ngarava
Zimbabwe’s Chase: A Rollercoaster Ride
Slow Start and Tight Bowling
Naveen-ul-Haq bowled a maiden to Brian Bennett and got rid of Tadiwanashe Marumani early in Zimbabwe’s careful chase.
- Bennett and Dion Myers could not establish boundaries as Zimbabwe only scored 33 runs on the powerplay.
- Zimbabwe was limited to 54 runs in the first ten overs by Afghanistan’s methodical bowling.
Myers and Bennett, using Aviator Predictor, started to raise the scoring pace. After Myers hit a six off Rashid Khan, they got Zimbabwe back in the game with a partnership of 75 off 62 balls.
Myers top-edged a delivery from Mohammad Nabi to finish the partnership.
Drama-Filled Final Overs
The chase grew more intense in the final five overs, with 28 runs needed from 24 balls after Ryan Burl hit a six off Nabi in the sixteenth.
- Bennett and Burl were removed by Rashid Khan’s double-wicket over, leaving Zimbabwe needing 25 runs from 18 balls.
- The equation reached 21 off 12 balls thanks to a tight 18th over by Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Tashinga Musekiwa: The Hero
In the last overs, Zimbabwe faced a formidable opponent:
- Wessly Madhevere was out of the game in the 19th over by Naveen-ul-Haq, but Wellington Masakadza’s boundary cut the target to 11 off the last six balls.
- Musekiwa responded by racing fast between the wickets and hitting a boundary. Zimbabwe won thanks to a single off the final ball.
Key Performers:
- (42 balls) Brian Bennett: 49
- Myers Dion: 32 (28 balls)
- Musekiwa Tashinga: 16* (13 balls)
- 3/33 Naveen-ul-Haq
Match Summary
- Afghanis: 144/6 in 20 overs (Karim Janat 54*, Mohammad Nabi 44; Richard Ngarava 3/28) are the short scores.
- Zimbabwe: 145/6 in 20 overs (Naveen-ul-Haq 3/33) Dion Myers 32, Brian Bennett 49
Zimbabwe won by four wickets as a result.
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In the dramatic match, both teams showed resiliency and a spirit of competition, setting the stage for an interesting series.