Afghan Asghar is on top of MS Dhoni, to become the most successful men’s T20I captain ever
Afghanistan183 for 7 (Najibullah 72 *, Ghani 39, Ngarava 2-35) beat Zimbabwe 136 for 5 (Raza 41 *, Burl 39 *, Janat 2-34) with 47 runs
Afghan Asghar became the most successful men’s T20I captain ever, surpassing MS Dhoni, as Afghanistan recorded their 42nd win under the format. Their 47-run win over Zimbabwe ensured a clean sweep of a three-game series and expanded their record over Zimbabwe to 11 wins from 12 matches, and the climb they won in T20Is in the UAE to 16 matches. Zimbabwe, on the other hand, has not won a T20I since October 2019, a run of eight strokes.
Although this was the lowest overall number in Afghanistan (they batted first each time), the winning margin was similar to the previous games – 47 runs, after winning with 48 runs and 45 runs – reveal the gap between the two teams.
After a total of 198 and 193 earlier in the week, Afghanistan were held to 183 in this game and relied heavily on Najibullah Zadran, who broke the 35-ball 72 * to attack Zimbabwe. roughly for the first 15 over the innards. Despite giving them the best chance of winning a game, Zimbabwe’s batting let them down again. Their high order did not lack the power tools needed to set T20-style textures, meaning Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl’s 80-run six-wicket stand were not enough to put real weight. on Afghanistan.
Zimbabwe is in control but not for long
Zimbabwe have been running the game, literally and figuratively, for most of this series, but there was one period of play where they controlled the flow. Between the 11th and 14th game of Afghanistan’s innings, Zimbabwe took three wickets for 21 runs in 20 balls to leave Afghanistan at 96 for 4. It started when Wellington Masakadza Karim Janat hit a long-range ball. Janat tried to slow down. In the next step, Usman Ghani tried a similar approach against Raza and although he managed to get a bat on the ball, he was unable to lob up to Burl at long range. Two goals later, Mohammad Nabi sent Richard Ngarava to the top trying to cut a short ball through a point and Tarisai Musakanda took the catch by diving forward. Afghanistan’s approach seemed to be being downplayed, and Zimbabwe may have hoped to limit them to an achievable target.
Zadran nails it at death
With wickets falling around him, Zadran worked his way to 20 runs off his first 19 balls. But with Afghanistan 114 for 4 after 16 concessions, he had to go. Zadran scored 53 runs off the next 15 balls ahead, hitting four fours and five sixes in that level. Faraz Akram was probably the one who enjoyed the slogan over Faraz to get to his half-century, but the ones who showed how good he was were the ones he played off. third member of the final. Muzarabani was blessed with a hat-trick, after the removal of Rashid Khan and Sharafuddin Ashraf, but Zadran was completely Zen; he hit a full, wide ball over midfield for four and then fired a full throw through a point for four more. Zadran finished the innings with six more in the long run. Afghanistan have scored 69 runs in the last four goals.
Another young gun for Afghanistan
Nineteen-year-old Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz were delighted with the bat in the Tests and T20Is respectively, and another promising youngster in Afghanistan is on display: Fazalhaq Farooqi. The left-arm player had only played one T20 before today but gave him just five members to make a mark. He got his first wickets in the first half of Zimbabwe’s response, when Tinashe Kamunhukamwe cleared his front leg to hit it over the line to the inside and inside of his stockings. Farooqi shook his full quota of overs, played with his length and speed and tried the shortest ball, often slower. He still needs to learn to use it with a little more choice but at first glance, what he has takes.
Two-in two, twice
After Muzarabani took two wickets in the last goal of the innings in Afghanistan, Janat did the same after Zimbabwe reached the halfway mark on the run. At 56 for 3, Zimbabwe were already a long way off but things got worse when Milton Shumba made room for himself trying to get Janat over the short leg but going on his way. behind and even worse when Richmond Mutumbami surprised the next member. with an extra kick and took a simple chance as well. Zimbabwe was 56 for 5 and Afghanistan’s clean sweep was almost sealed.
Firdose Moonda is an ESPNcricinfo journalist in South Africa