Clinical effort sees Afghanistan take 1-0 lead

Afghanistan put on a clinical act with both bat and ball to take a 1-0 lead in the T20I series against Zimbabwe on Saturday (June 11). The guests are currently unbeaten in the visit having previously secured the ODI series 3-0.

Zimbabwe's choice to bat initially didn't actually fill in as Fazalhaq Farooqi struck in only the third over of the game to eliminate Innocent Kaia. Captain Craig Ervine likewise withdrew inside the powerplay regardless of getting several limits. Regis Chakabva and Wesley Madhevere battled on however Afghanistan continued to pull Zimbabwe back with standard wickets.

Debutant Nijat Masood was the main draftsman as he continued to fix the hosts back. Be that as it may, from 66/4, the hosts organized an exemplary recuperation on the rear of Sikandar Raza's 31-ball 45. Raza was the key for the home side as he got convenient limits to drag Zimbabwe past a cutthroat aggregate. In any case, their expectations dissipated in fast time with the Afghanistan openers making cheerful in the pursuit.

Hazratullah Zazai was at his pugnacious best as he struck eight limits to keep the Zimbabwean bowlers under control. Rahmanatullah Gurbaz played the ideal foil at the opposite end as the openers put on 83 for the initial wicket to essentially diminish the challenge into an uneven issue. Notwithstanding, the hosts retaliated in about six conveyances as Ryan Burl picked three wickets in one over to shock the guests.

From 83/0, Afghanistan out of nowhere wound up at 86/3 in the pursuit. Darwish Rasooli then held post toward one side in spite of not having an enormous effect though Najibullah Zadran assumed control over the scoring obligations. Zadran crushed three sixes in his unbeaten 45 and directed Afghanistan home in the last over of the pursuit and had captain Mohammad Nabi for organization at the opposite end, who concocted an appearance too.

Brief scores: Zimbabwe 159/8 in 20 overs (Sikandar Raza 45, Wesley Madhevere 32; Nijat Masood 3/39) lost to Afghanistan 160/4 in 19.2 overs (Hazratullah Zazai 45, Najibullah Zadran 44*; Ryan Burl 3/14) by six wickets.