14/12Result
3rd T20I, Afghanistan tour of Zimbabwe at Harare, Dec 14 2024
Afghanistan won by 3 wkts (3b rem)
Player of the Match
Azmatullah Omarzai
Azmatullah OmarzaiAfghanistan
14/12Result
3rd T20I, Afghanistan tour of Zimbabwe at Harare, Dec 14 2024
Afghanistan won by 3 wkts (3b rem)
Player of the Match
Azmatullah Omarzai
Azmatullah OmarzaiAfghanistan

3.23pm So Zimbabwe fold for 127 after being put in, with some handy late runs. It's another poor show with the bat after being skittled for 103 yesterday, although they had chased down 145 in the series opener for a lot-ball victory. Their dreams of a series win against Afghanistan rest on their bowlers now. The story for Zimbabwe's batters this series has been that they get off to decent starts but then slide to middling totals or depend on a couple of major contributions. Today they were 41 for 1 after five overs 78 for 3 in the 11th before folding for just 127, despite getting lucky a few times, which may not be enough here. Himanshu will be here soon to start the chase.

19.5
W
Naveen-ul-Haq to Masakadza, OUT, loud cheers as the ball goes high in the air in the leg side but it dies quickly as the catch is taken by Omarzai inside the rope. It was a chance for Masakadza to get some runs because it was a full toss, but the slower ball didn't give him any pace to work with and he didn't get much distance. Easy catch for Omarzai at deep midwicket

WP Masakadza c Azmatullah Omarzai b Naveen-ul-Haq 17 (30m 15b 1x4 0x6) SR: 113.33

19.4
0
Naveen-ul-Haq to Masakadza, no run, foxes him with a slower delivery on length outside off, he swings and misses

They're chanting and dancing in the aisles now on this Saturday evening. What a vibe

19.3
2
Naveen-ul-Haq to Masakadza, 2 runs, he nails the yorker but that's not enough for him. Masakadza has dug it out towards midwicket and with the field spread out, Naveen himself has to turn around and chase the ball. By the time he does, they have returned for the second

Naveen goes around

19.2
1
Naveen-ul-Haq to Gwandu, 1 run, takes the pace off and pitches it shorter, Gwandu smartly drops it close to himself for a single
19.1
2
Naveen-ul-Haq to Gwandu, 2 runs, drives the low full toss down to long-off where Rashid rushes in and fires in a throw to the keeper's end and they make it back in time despite a bit of hesitation

Is 130 too optimistic?

END OF OVER:
19 | 10 Runs | ZIM: 122/9 | RR: 6.42

  • Trevor Gwandu4 (7b)
  • Wellington Masakadza15 (12b)
  • Fazalhaq Farooqi3-0-26-0
  • Naveen-ul-Haq3-0-22-1
18.6
1
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Gwandu, 1 run, deceived by the short and slower delivery, it lobs up for a while towards short cover and Farooqi tries to get under it but it lands safely. The crowd erupts with joy and they also take one

Gwandu just needs to survive this last ball so Masakadza takes strike next over. Farooqi goes around

18.5
1
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Masakadza, 1 run, a confident Masakadza smashes this full delivery down the ground where it's cut off by long-on. Just the single
18.4
4
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Masakadza, FOUR, and he follows it with a boundary! Farooqi bangs in a short ball after the yorker and Masakadza gets a thick edge just wide of the keeper fine on the leg side to also beat the sprinting fine leg fielder for four. The Saturday crowd is loving this
18.3
2
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Masakadza, 2 runs, right in the block hole at the base of middle stump and Masakadza does well to dig it out to leg and he calls for two immediately. Great running between the wickets
18.2
1
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Gwandu, 1 run, the attempted yorker is a low and wide full toss which Gwandu puts away past point. They think about the second but settle for one
18.1
1
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Masakadza, 1 run, gets a thick inside edge off the pull for the short ball and he gets one to short fine leg

12 balls left and Zimbabwe will hope they can play those out and get past 120 at least. Naveen will probably bowl the last, and the 19th is for Farooqi

END OF OVER:
18 | 6 Runs | ZIM: 112/9 | RR: 6.22

  • Trevor Gwandu2 (5b)
  • Wellington Masakadza7 (8b)
  • Naveen-ul-Haq3-0-22-1
  • Rashid Khan4-0-27-4
17.6
2
Naveen-ul-Haq to Gwandu, 2 runs, the slower ball is lofted in the gap on the leg side over midwicket and they get two useful runs
17.5
0
Naveen-ul-Haq to Gwandu, no run, slower ball angling in from wide of the crease and it's defended carefully in front of the stumps, even if with an inside edge
17.4
0
Naveen-ul-Haq to Gwandu, no run, width this time outside off but it's driven straight to cover
17.3
0
Naveen-ul-Haq to Gwandu, no run, again in the block hole, this was on off, and Gwandu jams it down towards cover
17.2
2b
Naveen-ul-Haq to Gwandu, 2 byes, beats the outside edge outside off with a bit of angle, but the keeper Gurbaz can't collect it and the batters get two byes with a risky second! Gurbaz hits the stumps with a direct hit but Gwandu has dragged his bat in just in time
17.2
1w
Naveen-ul-Haq to Gwandu, 1 wide, the slower delivery goes wrong and down leg for a wide
17.1
1
Naveen-ul-Haq to Masakadza, 1 run, he starts with a yorker around middle and leg, and Masakadza digs it out to leg for one

Naveen returns in the death overs

END OF OVER:
17 | 4 Runs 3 Wkts | ZIM: 106/9 | RR: 6.23

  • Wellington Masakadza6 (7b)
  • Rashid Khan4-0-27-4
  • Mohammad Nabi3-0-13-0

Rashid finishes with 4 for 27 after three in that over. What a second spell after leaking some in the first

16.6
W
Rashid Khan to Muzarabani, OUT, pinned right in front, it's the third wicket of the over! Muzarabani's front pad goes a long way across as Rashid fires one in towards the stumps with another wrong-un, and he's struck right in front for an easy decision

B Muzarabani lbw b Rashid Khan 0 (1m 2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

16.5
0
Rashid Khan to Muzarabani, no run, continues to send down the googlies, this one just beats the outside edge as Muzarabani leans forward just a bit but can't defend it
16.4
W
Rashid Khan to Ngarava, OUT, chipped straight to cover with a soft dismissal. Rashid can't hold his smile back, grinning from ear to ear as he gets his third of the day. A googly outside off, it gets some bounce too which probably surprises Ngarava as he sticks his bat in front to adjust and lobs the catch to the fielder

R Ngarava c Sediqullah Atal b Rashid Khan 1 (2m 2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00

16.3
3
Rashid Khan to Masakadza, 3 runs, the wrong'un outside off, goes off a thick edge and beats short third's dive to get three before it's cut off just inside the rope

Afghanistan 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st4Rahmanullah GurbazSediqullah Atal
2nd3Rahmanullah GurbazZubaid Akbari
3rd26Darwish RasooliRahmanullah Gurbaz
4th11Azmatullah OmarzaiRahmanullah Gurbaz
5th48Gulbadin NaibAzmatullah Omarzai
6th22Mohammad NabiAzmatullah Omarzai
7th7Mohammad NabiRashid Khan
8th7Mohammad NabiMujeeb Ur Rahman