AFGHANISTAN TOUR OF ZIMBABWE, 2017
Cricbuzz StaffLast updated on Fri, 24 Feb, 2017, 06:33 PM
Representational Image: Graeme Cremer took two wickets for Zimbabwe. AFP
Unlike most One-Day Internationals happening across the world, where 300-plus totals are the norm, the ongoing series between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan has brought in quite a change. It has been a series where batsmen have found the going tough. With rain interrupting play time and again, and the soggy outfield slowing the ball down, batsmen have found it difficult to score freely. Coming in to the fourth encounter of the series, none of the batsmen from either sides had aggregated 100 runs in three matches.
Friday (February 24) was no different, with Chris Mpofu snaring three and Tendai Chatara and Graeme Cremer bagging two wickets each to bowl Zimbabwe for 111.
Asghar Stanikzai, Afghanistan skipper, won the toss and elected to bat. It took little time for the hosts to take a commanding position in the match, with Chatara striking twice in his first five overs to remove opener Ihsanullah Janat (0) and Rahmat Shah (1). The start itself was quiet with Zimbabwe's new ball pair of Chatara and Richard Ngarava conceding only five runs off the first eight overs.
Before the 10th over, even the hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Shahzad made his way back when he inside edged a slog to short midwicket off Ngarava. At 12 for 3, in the 10th over, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Stanikzai came together to put up the best partnership of Afghanistan's innings. The duo looked to hit their way out of pressure. The effort paid off with a 28-ball 29-run stand for the fourth wicket, before the skipper edged Mpofu to the keeper.
Wickets continued to tumble at a regular pace from thereon with Shahidi too departing in a similar fashion. There were handy contributions from the lower order with Samiullah Shenwari (13), Mohammad Nabi (17), Gulbadin Naib (10) and Rashid Khan (11) registering double-figure scores. The adjusted target of 105 from 42 may not be big, but given how the series has panned out, it has given the tourists little hope to defend and seal the series.
Brief Scores: Afghanistan 111 in 38.5 overs (Asghar Stanikzai 19, Mohammad Nabi 17; Chris Mpofu 3-25, Graeme Cremer 2-12) vs Zimbabwe
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Mpofu's triple strike bundles out Afghanistan for 111 - Cricbuzz