Match

Afghanistan won by 7 wkts

• Zimbabwe: 169/10 (43.3 overs)
• Afghanistan: 170/3 (34.3 overs)

Zimbabwe - 169/10 (43.3 overs)

Extras: 9

Afghanistan - 170/3 (34.3 overs)

Extras: 8

Commentary

• The winning trophy is presented to Rahmat who is all smiles. Then he takes it and gives it to Omarzai and the Afghanistan team pose in front of the champions hoarding. 3 little kids are there sitting on the ground - probably the children of the players or support staff. 7 wins in a row for Rahmat Shah to start his captaincy career and he is unbeaten still in this format. Afghanistan and Zimbabwe next meet in a T20I series (starts on the 27th of this month) and the Tests here in the UAE. We will be there to bring you all the action from there. For now this is it. Bye bye from all of us here.
• Rahmat Shah | Afghanistan captain (translated from Pashto): [On winning the tri-series and what the victory means to Afghanistan] Congratulations to all our countrymen. It is certainly a matter of great pride that we have won this tri-series. [On the importance of rotating the strike and building the partnership without hitting boundaries for 98 deliveries] Our discussion was that we had to bat deep and rotate the strike. The more we rotate the strike, the more pressure we put on the opposition. That was one of the reasons. In a final, we didn't want to give our wickets away either. They were looking for wickets, so we didn't try too much to hit boundaries. We focused on rotating the strike. [On Afghanistan's winning run and becoming the first Afghan captain to record seven consecutive ODI victories] Whatever we have achieved, whether in batting or bowling, is the result of everyone's effort. That is why our winning percentage has also improved. God willing, we will try to maintain this momentum.
• Raza (3/3): [On Zimbabwe's prospects in the upcoming T20I and Test series against Afghanistan] Yeah, hopefully if we can get over the injuries that we have already. If everybody's fit, I feel like the T20 series and the Test series should be a better contested series than the ODI series against Afghanistan, because we would have been here for at least 10 days, and I think that would have given us enough time to acclimatise as well. So I'm very hopeful that the T20 series and the Test match will be a better series. But certainly the ODI series we found it tough, and unfortunately it didn't help that three or four of our boys have been injured.
• Raza (2/3): [On his own performance, batting through cramps and building a partnership with Ryan Burl] The team needed me to grind. When you grind and you're trying to do the right things, I always say that cricket rewards you back. I just think that we have to understand that we haven't had a chance to acclimatise. We only got here two days before the first game. So I think that's an area that we need to address back with the board as well, that hopefully when we come to subcontinent, try and send us early so that we can get used to these conditions. These are alien conditions for us, especially in this month. It has been very hot and humid and the body has struggled to cope with it. But for me personally, when I look back, it was the team needed me to grind. There has to be a mental toughness. I mean, in the first game, I reckon Craig Ervine was batting on 30 when he tore his hamstring. I mean, he's got a grade one tear, but he batted on till he was on 90. And that is what makes us a team. We grind, we graft for one another, we put our team needs before us, and today was no different for me.
• Sikandar Raza | Zimbabwe captain (1/3): [On Zimbabwe's defeat in the final and whether he felt let down by a lack of support from the other batters] No, I wouldn't say that it feels disappointing that I was left alone. Cricket is never about one guy. There was a lot of good things that was done from the other boys as well. But for me, as much you said congratulations for making the final, but that is not how we want to play the final. This business of us making the final needs to stop. We address that in the changing room, that once we get to the final, we have to win the final. We have to win the trophies. This Zimbabwe needs to change. We have made plenty of finals and just existed. And for me, the biggest disappointment of this tour has been that we've been 20 for 3 and 30 for 3, and that's something we have addressed. But unfortunately we haven't got it right in three games, and that's an area of concern.
• Rashid (2/2): [On the lessons Afghanistan need to take from the series against India] Well, more important will be the top order, like our batting order, where we have to be taking the responsibility and taking the game deeper and deeper. And other area where I feel like we need to improve is the bowling department, I feel, especially the fast bowling department. I think we have lots of hard work to do, and to win the big event, like an ICC event, Asia Cup, something, I think we have to be very strong in those areas. And as long we work on that and we better in that area, I think we can beat any side. [On Afghanistan's preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup] Well, we still have lots of hard work to be done, lots of areas we still need to improve. We can't say like fully 100 percent ready and we can beat any side. I think going to the conditions where we haven't played a lot of cricket as a team in South Africa. So I think there will be challenges for us. Some areas we need to improve, and I think still lots of hard work to be done for us to make sure we have a better World Cup than we had in 2023 World Cup. So lots of hard work to be done, still it's just the beginning, and it's a good couple of series wins for us, but as I said, we need to improve lots of things in the batting and in the bowling as well in how we're going to manage performing in a big stage.
• Rashid Khan | Player of the Series (1/2): [On taking 11 wickets in three matches and winning another PoTS award in ODIs] And nothing much, just try my best to keep the consistency as I have and keep the hard work up and keep repeating my performance, and try my best to beat my last game performance. So I think that's something which always have the mentality and making sure I enjoy my game. That's something which is more important for me. [On carrying this momentum into the T20I series after Afghanistan's recent 3-0 series loss to India] Well, good morale for us as a team to go for the T20 series. We haven't had that great series against India and lots of learning from that. But for us, the challenge will be like how we as a team manage ourselves to perform well in T20s as well and to make sure we, those areas we were, like struggling against India, try to improve it day by day, game by game, and take this momentum to the T20s.
• Ibrahim Zadran - Player of the match: [On scoring 194 runs in the tri-series and carrying his form into the T20I series] Yeah, the rhythm was there. I was just trying to enjoy myself, get the rhythm and take it to the T20 series. Yes, the 50-over series was finished. So thankful. I will try to perform well and give 100%. [On his partnership with Rahmat Shah] We have enjoyed it. In the past, we had a brilliant partnership between us. We always try to stay calm, just play according to the situation and condition. Yes, we have enjoyed. We were communicating, you know, about the small partnerships and targeting their bowlers. Just trying to get the ball busy, and yeah, this is what we have done. [On staying composed despite losing quick wickets] See, I have been trying to stay calm in any kind of situation. Yes, we lost the wicket, but I was just trying to stay at the crease and just focus on the rotation of the strike. Just trying to think about, you know, every single ball after, you know, hitting boundaries, and just keep to rotate the strike. This is what I have done, and it was giving me positive energy.
• Gurbaz 5/5: [On what Rahmat Shah is like as a captain and whether he is as calm on the field as he appears] You can see from the camera screen, the way you can see outside, he's exactly the same in the ground. He's very calm, cool. He tries to communicate things. He tries to ask every single person in the squad. He's not someone that, oh, I am okay, no, I don't need anyone. He will try to come and take advantage from everyone's experience. So he's some of that guy. I mean, he's very calm, as you can see (with) his batting. As calm as he is in the batting, he's calm as a captain as well. So he's a legend, no doubt. He's such a calm guy and good cricketer as well.
• Gurbaz (4/5): [On Rashid Khan's bowling and his importance to Afghanistan] To be really honest, I played with Afghanistan from 2019, if I'm not wrong. From 2019 I started playing with him. I think he's one of the best. You can just say simply that he's one of the best in every format. Whenever he comes, whenever you need something from him, he will just get it for you. So, sometimes when we need to break the partnership, I just tell him, like, bro, we need a partnership, please. [On being surprised by one of Rashid Khan's deliveries] I was not actually ready. He bowled from very behind the wicket. So yeah, he's doing too many things. I tell him, I know your googly, I know your legspin, but I was not ready for this ball. I was telling him that I was not ready. [On his understanding with Rashid Khan as a wicketkeeper] Yeah, I can understand him really well because I'm keeping him for the last six, seven years. I think I know, I understand him really well. I know exactly what he's doing. So that's why it's a little bit easy for me as a wicket-keeper. Otherwise, keeping is not easy for him because you don't know where the ball is going, especially he's a little bit faster than normal spinner. But yeah, I just understand from the hand and finger where the ball is coming. I see, okay, I just try to... [On the difficulty of facing Rashid Khan as a batter] Yeah, yeah. You know, honestly, he's one of the best in the world, you can say. It's just easy to say to pick him, but when you play against him, it's very difficult. When I play against him in the league, I always try to take a single. It's another variation to him. So yeah, he's a very difficult bowler.
• Gurbaz (3/5): [On the opposition's plans to restrict their running between the wickets] I think such a good point you (Maharoof) mentioned. Actually, nowadays whenever we batting together, all the mid-on or the mid-off fielder will be very close to the wicket. So we have the advantage to hit boundaries easy now, because they try to stop the singles. So I think most of the teams make plans against us. So we understand that also, we need to realize that, okay, the fielders in now, we need to take advantage to hit out of the fielder. So yeah, good point actually. I will try to mention that. [On the exchange with Blessing Muzarabani during the match] Because I never seen him be angry on me. I just always call him my brother from another mother. So the good thing was that he was angry on me. I was, okay, no problem. So I need to be a little bit more aggressive and focused, because when the bowler tries to be aggressive on me, and then I try to be more focused. So I was happy for that. And then I just tell him that you're my teammate also in ILT20. Don't be too much aggressive on me. [On whether the exchange was his way of showing affection towards Muzarabani] Yeah, I think so. But he was not showing any love at all. He was just angry till the end. But he was good in the shake hands, so he was smiling.
• Gurbaz (2/5): [On preparing for the upcoming World Cup] Yeah, just try to understand a little bit more my game and my quality. I believe in my shots, I believe in my skills as well, but at the same time, I just need to be a little bit more sensible, I think, which I can see from everyone. I can learn from everyone as well. But yeah, I think sometimes when it's T20 cricket too much, and then I'm going at the same gear. So yeah, I need to work on it. I will try my best to come to my own zone, ODI zone. [On his partnership with Ibrahim Zadran and how they complement each other] The good thing is between our partnership is just understand each other really well. The way he sometimes (says) it's not your day, you need to understand that another side is also able to score, and Ibrahim was the guy who was telling me today that, okay, if it's not your day, just try to give me a strike, because he was completely middle the ball. He was seeing the ball and he was in a good zone. I try to give him a strike a little bit early on, and then suddenly some shots, I mean, strokes also come. I hit some few boundaries and I just get my rhythm. But yeah, Ibrahim is one of the guys that always take the game deeper. I always try to just take advantage from the first 10 overs, and then whenever I get out of that, and then I try to go longer.
• Rahmanullah Gurbaz (1/5): [On winning Afghanistan's first-ever ODI tri-series title] Yeah, I think it was a very good for us because we were home. Yeah, I think overall it was a very good tournament and everything was very nice, and we were expecting that from the ACB to be more quality. And we keep continuing the good things. [On the contribution of the entire squad, including the reserves] See, that's the beauty of cricket. Even if you're not playing and still you do your 100% in the field and in 12th men, they give waters to the boys because it was hot. It's not easy to play ODIs in this weather. The way the guys help us inside the ground, that was unbelievable. Good job everyone. [On his approach to ODI batting compared to T20 cricket] See, I think the cricket is totally changed now, to be really honest. 440 is not safe, 450 is not safe. So you need to be very aggressive. At the same time, you need to understand the situation as well. I mean, whenever Ibrahim is with me, I feel like he's in another side, he's keeping his side safe. So I try to be a little bit aggressive, which is my nature. At the same time, I just try to do something what the team expect from me and what I can do for the team. But at the same time, again, I need to be a little bit more calm. I understand that. I realize things. I need to work on it. And also because the World Cup is coming on.
• 21:49 Local Time, 17:49 GMT, 23:19 IST: Afghanistan the best side in this tri-series and they have won this final at their own pace. Plenty of Afghan support in the stands and they are all delighted. Evans and Ibrahim Zadran have a chat as they walk back. The former checking the bat of the latter. Zimbabwe like Bangladesh in the last game didn't get enough on the board to pose a threat in this game. The openers began well with Gurbaz showing aggressive intent. Once Zimbabwe didn't get early wickets, that was game done then. Even though they got two wickets in quick time, Rahmat Shah and Zadran shut the door to take their side home. Afghanistan were easily the best side in this tri-series and in these conditions both Bangladesh and Zimbabwe were no match to them. Stay tuned for the post-match stuff...
• 34.3: Madhevere to Hashmatullah Shahidi, FOUR, Afghanistan win the tri-series. On a good length outside off, Hashmatullah Shahidi goes on the back foot and cuts hard, beats point's dive to his left. Has the legs to go and touch the cushions. Shahidi and Raza share a big smile on their faces as the post-match formalities follow
• 34.2: Madhevere to Hashmatullah Shahidi, 2 runs, tossed up full just outside off, Hashmatullah Shahidi gets forward to drive and the thick outside-edge runs wide of backward point for two
• 34.1: Madhevere to Hashmatullah Shahidi, no run, slower and on a good length outside off, Hashmatullah Shahidi goes on the back foot and punches to backward point
• 33.6: Ryan Burl to Ibrahim Zadran, no run, flat good length from the front of the hand outside off, Ibrahim Zadran gets forward to drive and finds cover-point in the ring
• 33.5: Ryan Burl to Hashmatullah Shahidi, 1 run, a slip in as Ryan Burl bowls on a good length on leg-stump, Hashmatullah Shahidi goes on the back foot and nudges it to the vacant deep square-leg area
• 33.4: Ryan Burl to Ibrahim Zadran, 1 run, again front of the hand and full on off, Ibrahim Zadran gets forward to drive to long-on