All-round Afghanistan goes 2-0 ahead
Half-centuries from Mohammad Shahzad and Rahmat Shah followed by a combined bowling performance headlined by the spinners helped Afghanistan defeat Zimbabwe by 54 runs in the second One-Day International in Harare on Sunday (February 19). With the win, Afghanistan took a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Batting first, Afghanistan posted 238 for 9, powered by Shahzad's 64 and Shah's 53. Zimbabwe folded up for 184 in 42.1 overs as Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan, the spinners, picked up three wickets each.
Opting to bat first, Afghanistan got off to a steady start before it lost Noor Ali Zadran, caught behind off Richard Ngarava off the last ball of the Power Play.
At 34 for 1 in 10 overs, Afghanistan needed a push and it got that from Shahzad and Shah, the No. 3. The pair established a platform with an 84-run stand for the second wicket, but just when Afghanistan looked to stretch the advantage, Graeme Cremer pulled back the momentum with a couple of strikes.
The Zimbabwe captain first had Shahzad bowled before his counterpart, Asghar Stanikzai, holed out to long-off. Soon, Tendai Chatara trapped Shah leg before as Afghanistan went from 118 for 1 to 149 for 4.
Nabi and Najibullah Zadran then arrested the slide with a 45-run stand before the former fell for a run-a-ball 33 in the 44th over. Zimbabwe kept striking towards the closing stages even as Zadran held firm with a 47-ball 45 to push Afghanistan to a competitive total.
Zimbabwe started its chase well with Solomon Mire leading the way, scoring 54 in an opening stand of 69. Once he fell, bowled by Rashid’s leg-spin in the 15th over, Afghanistan sensed an opening.
Gulbadin Naib followed it up having Peter Moor caught behind in the next over and Rashid struck once again to trap the experienced Hamilton Masakadza leg before, leaving Zimbabwe wobbling at 84 for 3 in 19 overs.
Craig Ervine and Ryan Burl steadied the ship with a 55-run association but things went haywire for the host once Ervine fell to Naib in the 32nd over. Burl was bowled by Nabi two overs later, triggering a collapse. Amir Hamza, the pacer, too got into the act and within no time, Zimbabwe went from 139 for 3 to 162 for 8. It was too much to do for Cremer, who remained unbeaten on 14 as Zimbabwe folded for 184.
Afghanistan won the first ODI by 12 runs by the Duckworth-Lewis method. The third match will also be played in Harare, on Tuesday.