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ZIM vs AFG 2024/25, ZIM vs AFG 2nd Check Match Report, January 02 – 06, 2025


Zimbabwe 243 and 205 for 8 (Ervine 53*, Rashid 6-66, Zia 2-44) want 73 runs to beat Afghanistan 157 and 363 (Rahmat 139, Ismat 101, Muzarabani 6-95)

Ismat Alam‘s century on debut and Rashid Khan‘s six-for bookended a day of dominance for Afghanistan, who will come again on the fifth and last day needing simply two wickets to seal the match and the collection in opposition to Zimbabwe.

Ismat, who had come into the Check with a first-class common of 92 and had transformed all 4 of his fifties on the degree into centuries, additionally transformed his maiden Check fifty right into a century to assist Afghanistan end on 363, setting Zimbabwe 278 to win.

After that, it was all Rashid magic as he ran by Zimbabwe, who fought again with a gritty fifth-wicket stand between captain Craig Ervine and Sikandar Raza, however in the long run Afghanistan had been in a profitable place at stumps.

Zimbabwe had a brilliant begin of their chase of 278. Ben Curran hit two late cuts as Zimbabwe took 12 runs off Fareed Ahmad’s first over. Seven runs got here off the following over earlier than the Afghanistan bowlers discovered extra self-discipline and began to dry out the runs. Whereas there was some motion on provide with the brand new ball, the quick bowlers may probably not threaten the Zimbabwe openers.

Spin was launched within the tenth over within the type of Zia-ur-Rehman and the left-arm spinner struck in his third over. Joylord Gumbie had reverse-swept him for 4 off the primary ball of the over, however when he went for an additional reverse-sweep he ended up gloving the ball behind to first slip.

From there on in, it was the Rashid present for Afghanistan. He first received one to spin in from the tough outdoors off to knock Curran over. Within the subsequent 37 balls, Zimbabwe managed simply 14 runs and Takudzwanashe Kaitano launched the strain by authoritatively pulling Fareed for a six over backward sq. leg.

Rashid then modified ends and drew the highest edge from Kaitano as he went for a sweep. Abdul Malik ran throughout from slip to take the catch down the leg aspect, giving Zimbabwe one other breakthrough simply earlier than tea.

Within the third over of the ultimate session, Dion Myers slashed at a large supply from Rashid and received a thick edge for 4, however Rashid hit again by trapping him in entrance with a mistaken’un, for his four-hundredth worldwide wicket.

At 99 for 4, Zimbabwe had been in bother however the senior pair of Raza and Ervine mixed to frustrate Afghanistan with a 58-run stand. They had been watchful and stored the runs ticking with loads of singles within the absence of close-in fielders. They hit simply the one boundary in a partnership that lasted 19 overs.

Rashid lastly broke by, though it had little to do together with his bowling. Raza, ever so watchful till then, was tempted right into a drive as Rashid threw down a half-volley outdoors off, however he could not get it over the quilt fielder, a lot to his frustration.

Sean Williams, nursing a again harm from the primary day of the Check, was subsequent on Rashid’s radar, as he received one other one to spin in from the tough outdoors off to crash into off stump with Williams lacking a sweep. That accomplished Rashid’s fifth Check five-for in simply eight video games. One ball later, he darted in a fast, flat legbreak that spun previous the surface edge to crash into Brian Bennett’s off stump.

Within the subsequent over, Zia trapped Newman Nyamhuri, as Zimbabwe misplaced three wickets in seven deliveries, nonetheless 100 runs away from their goal.

Ervine fought on for Zimbabwe, hitting Rashid for 2 boundaries both aspect of the wicket within the subsequent over earlier than depositing Zia over midwicket. He took Zimbabwe previous 200 with a canopy drive and hit one other boundary down the bottom – a misfield at long-on that helped him to a second half-century within the match.

Quickly after, Zimbabwe’s No. 10 Richard Ngarava pulled up holding his calf, and with lights fading, it introduced on stumps with Zimbabwe nonetheless needing 73 and Afghanistan two wickets from victory.

Afghanistan started the day 205 runs forward and scored shortly with Ismat and Rashid discovering the boundary commonly. However the latter did not get out of the best way of a Blessing Muzarabani bouncer and gloved a catch behind to offer him his maiden Check five-wicket haul.

Ismat carried on, hitting three fours in 4 overs after Rashid’s dismissal, and went previous Ibrahim Zadran’s 87 in 2019 for the very best rating by an Afghanistan batter on Check debut. With Zimbabwe spreading the sector, he was compelled to decelerate however with Yamin Ahmadzai for firm, he introduced up his century and celebrated with a collection of fist pumps. The celebrations had been value it after he had fallen for a two-ball duck in his maiden worldwide innings.

He fell on 101, miscuing a pull off Muzarabani, after which Afghanistan added simply seven runs.

Abhimanyu Bose is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo

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