Tue Dec 17 09:28:29 UTC 2024: **Afghanistan Clinch T20I Series Win Over Zimbabwe Despite Late Scare**
HARARE, ZIMBABWE – Afghanistan secured a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Zimbabwe in the final T20I, clinching the series 2-1. Chasing a modest 128, Afghanistan appeared to be cruising at one point, but a late collapse left them needing 7 runs from the final over. Veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi stepped up to the challenge, hitting the winning runs with three balls to spare.
Zimbabwe’s bowlers made an impressive start, reducing Afghanistan to 9/2 early on. Despite a brief flurry of boundaries from Rahmanullah Gurbaz, wickets continued to fall, leaving Afghanistan teetering at 44/4. A crucial 48-run partnership between Azmatullah Omarzai (34) and Gulbadin Naib steadied the ship, but Sikandar Raza’s excellent bowling (2/19) sparked another late collapse.
Earlier, Rashid Khan’s masterful spell (4/27) had restricted Zimbabwe to 127 despite a 31-run contribution from Brian Bennett. Khan’s three-wicket over proved pivotal in keeping Zimbabwe’s total in check. While Zimbabwe’s middle order failed to capitalize on a promising start, Afghanistan’s chase was far from smooth sailing, making Nabi’s finishing performance all the more crucial.
The victory marks a hard-fought series win for Afghanistan, highlighting their resilience and depth of talent. Zimbabwe, despite the loss, showed flashes of brilliance, particularly with the ball, leaving them with plenty to build upon moving forward.
First Piper 