Match

Afghanistan won by 19 runs

• Afghanistan: 221/7 (20 overs)
• Zimbabwe: 202/5 (20 overs)

Afghanistan - 221/7 (20 overs)

Extras: 8

Zimbabwe - 202/5 (20 overs)

Extras: 10

Commentary

• The series is done and dusted and Zimbabwe's wait for a maiden T20I series win against Afghanistan continues. We still have a game to go in the series and that's on the 1st of November. Same venue, same time, same Cricbuzz the place to be to catch all the action. Do join us then. Loads of cricket on the platform, so do check it out. See you soon. Ta, ta and bye bye....
• Ibrahim 2/2: [On rotating the squad and giving opportunities ahead of the 2028 World Cup] Yeah, definitely. If you look at today’s game, we have rested two guys, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Noor Ahmad. They bowled really well in the last game, and we have given chance to Abdullah Ahmadzai and Fareed Malik. This is the opportunity that we should give to them until we’re going to go for the '28 World Cup. So every single game, every series is very important for us to win a game, to win a series. Along with that, opportunity is also important to give to the players that they feel themselves that we’re going to do something for the country.
• Ibrahim Zadran | Afghanistan captain 1/2: [On Afghanistan's recovery from 5/4 and the middle-order partnership] Yes, we were a bit panicked and we didn’t expect that much total we will put on the board. But the way Azmat and Ijaz showed the display, it was unbelievable. And the way Rashid finished the game, it was brilliant. I’m giving again credit to them. They have batted really well, and yeah, we put a very good total on the board. [On the team's batting depth and the need for the top order to improve] Definitely, if you look at the past, we had a very good start in the powerplay. The top order, we were a bit struggling in that area, but it’s a very positive sign for the team that if we don’t get a good start in the powerplay, at the start, then guys are there, quality is there, you know, of them to show their display and back each other. And that’s a very positive sign for Afghanistan, for us, that we can change the game from any situation. I will say, yes, as a batting unit, as a top order guys, we will think about it, how to cover that areas that we didn’t get a good start in this series in the powerplay. Yeah, I’m pretty sure we will cover that area as soon as possible.
• Raza 2/2: [On the support Zimbabwe receive from their fans] Oh, they are very loyal, absolutely, and what a joy to have the fans behind you. [On the complacency he observed in the team and the need for greater mental strength] For me, before I go too much in detail, and I will address that in the changing room, for me the toughest part to swallow was the complacency that I saw from some of the boys. Some of the boys were probably calculating that it will be 130, 140 max at the end of 20 overs. Some of the things that I saw on the ground today certainly hurt me, and I’ll address that in the changing room because, listen, it can happen. But I think that’s where you have to be mentally very strong and say, No, the game’s never over until it’s over. We still have a job in hand, and I’m going to be the guy who’s going to get the job done rather than looking at somebody that he can do it for me or he can do it for me. Before I dissect the game with batting or bowling, I think that’s something that I felt today out there in the middle, and that’s something that needs to be addressed, not to take this game for granted because it can bite back, and today is a great example. [On saving his further comments for the dressing room] I won’t be saying the way I said it to you in the changing room (smiles wryly at Farhad Fidai the interviewer).
• Sikandar Raza | Zimbabwe captain 1/2: [On constructing his century while chasing 222] Yeah, when you're chasing 222, for me the biggest thing was to try and stay in control of my emotions, because the way we conducted ourselves in the first innings certainly hurt me. So when we go out to bat, for me it was try and win the game from any position. That has been our motto, and in my head I was just calculating how best can I go about my business and hopefully the other batters chip in so that we can win the game. Up until the last two overs we were backing ourselves to win the game, but yeah, I think we left ourselves too much. [On the team's efforts to represent Zimbabwe and the loyalty of its fans] Yeah, certainly. Like I said, I think it was in the last series when Australia came to us and there was a press, and the question was asked and I said that regardless of where Zimbabwe goes now, these real fans that come to the ground, they see how hard we try, they see how hard we work, they see how much effort we are putting in, and we have Zimbabwe at heart and we’re trying to do our utmost best to try and lift our country’s flag and to bring more respect to our country, and they appreciate that. As long as we’re fighting and as long as we try to push all of us together in the right direction, these fans will go nowhere. They have been very loyal and they will stay loyal as long as we keep doing the things that we’re supposed to do and they see it. So I just want to say thank you very much.
• Azmatullah Omarzai | Player of the Match: [On scoring his maiden T20I century and Afghanistan's recovery] I did my first century in T20I, and yeah, as you mentioned, it was amazing for me and for Afghanistan team. The way I just came and then we started smashing, and we were looking just... we were in pressure, and I just spoke with Ijaz: we have to go for boundaries, otherwise the pressure is coming more on us. That's why we started, and then we... [On his partnership with Ijaz Ahmadzai and maintaining the scoring momentum] Yeah, I enjoy a lot, and I just... speaking with Ijaz, the way you played in last game and you smashed from first ball, don't take any pressure, just play your game and wait for your ball. When he came and then he start boundaries, then it gave me a lot of confidence, and then I was trying to keep that momentum, don't let them put pressure on us. That's why I was trying to hit boundary. If he hitting one, I try to hit one again. [On the importance of breaking Zimbabwe's momentum with that Kaia wicket] We need that wicket early because they were hitting well and they were scoring. I was telling to Rashid, I'm just going to take wicket, and he said, Okay, just try. And I tried to bowl for wicket, and then Alhamdulillah I took that wicket.
• Rashid Khan took his 200th T20I wicket tonight - the first man to do so. Watch how he got there.
• STAT: 8th successive T20I series that Afghanistan have won against Zimbabwe, who are yet to win one.
• 22:05 Local Time, 18:05 GMT, 23:35 IST: Valiant effort by Sikandar Raza but he can't prevent his side from losing. Rashid Khan comes and embraces him in a warm hug. They are good friends and were seen having a long chat before the match today. Zimbabwe will only be wondering how they allowed Afghanistan to post 221 from 5/4. That's where the game was lost. A new opening combo came out today as Bennett and Kaia started well. Then Raza came at 3 and was there till the end. But 221 proved to be 19 too many. Had someone helped Raza out a bit more with the bat, Zimbabwe might well have pulled this off. Ryan Burl falling cheaply hurt Zimbabwe for the left-hander could've scored in quick time. Raza though kept fighting till the end and deservedly reached his 2nd T20I ton. Tafadzwa Tsiga gave him good company and he looked impressive with the bat on debut. Rashid and the skiddy Abdullah shone for the hosts. Stay tuned for the post-match stuff....
• 19.6: Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai to Sikandar Raza, SIX, Afghanistan seal the series but Sikandar Raza has landed another ball on the roof. If I remember correctly, this is the 3rd one of the night for him. Full outside off, he sinks low and swings it miles over deep backward square-leg. Lands on the roof but Afghanistan win by 19 runs
• 19.5: Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai to Sikandar Raza, no run, low full-toss outside off, Sikandar Raza looks to slog to leg and misses
• 19.4: Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai to Tafadzwa Tsiga, 1 run, very full outside off, Tafadzwa Tsiga gets forward to drive to long-on
• 19.3: Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai to Sikandar Raza, 1 run, Sikandar Raza take a bow! His 2nd T20I 100. First against a Full Member. Met with a hug by Tafadzwa Tsiga. No extravagant celebrations understandably. Just raises the bat to the dugout. Gets there by driving the low full-toss to deep extra-cover
• A replacement ball now.
• 19.2: Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai to Sikandar Raza, SIX, full and in the slot and it has gone over the roof at long-on. Sikandar Raza sinks on his back knee, lofts and he has really hit that well. Change of ball as well as that one has gone out of the ground. A souvenir for someone outside the stadium
• 19.2: Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai to Sikandar Raza, wide, and he bowls a wide miles outside off. Almost didn't land on the cutstrip
• 19.1: Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai to Tafadzwa Tsiga, 1 run, very full outside off, Tafadzwa Tsiga gets forward to drive to sweeper cover. That should be the game provided Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai doesn't bowl any extras
• Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai, right-arm medium, comes into the attack
• 18.6: Shahidullah Kamal to Sikandar Raza, SIX, the 100-run stand is up. It's too late though this hit. It's a good length delivery around off, Sikandar Raza sits deep in his crease, pulls over the deep square leg fence
• 18.5: Shahidullah Kamal to Tafadzwa Tsiga, 1 run, flat good length and into the pitch outside off, Tafadzwa Tsiga gets forward to force it wide of long-off