103/10 (17.4)
CR : 5.83
153/6 (20.0)
CR : 7.65
Afghanistan won by 50 runs 🏆
Player of the Match
Darwish Rasooli
58(42)
Over 18
Zimbabwe 103/10
Blessing Muzarabani1(3)
Trevor Wesley Gwandu1(5)
Fareed Ahmad Malik1-23(3.4)
Over 18
Zimbabwe 103/10
Blessing Muzarabani1(3)
Trevor Wesley Gwandu1(5)
Fareed Ahmad Malik1-23(3.4)
AFG won by 50 runs
8:20 PM IST & 4:50 PM Local Time: That's it!! Afghanistan have made a roaring comeback to make it all square in this three-match T20I series. The intensity was high from Rashid Khan's men today and they proved to be too good for the hosts, to get the job done by 50 runs.
Batting first, the visitors posted 153/6 from their 20 overs thanks to a fine half-century from Darwish Rasooli.
Sediqullah Atal (18) and Azmatullah Omarzai (28) were the notable contributors with the bat. Gulbadin Naib also chipped in with a handy unbeaten knock of 26 off 21.
Trevor Gwandu and Ryan Burl bagged two wickets each while Blessing Muzarabani got one wicket.
In reply, Zimbabwe lost Tadiwanashe Marumani early in the piece. Dion Myers too fell cheaply, leaving the hosts reeling at 25/2 after four overs.
Wessly Madhevere perished soon after the powerplay. Captain Sikandar Raza played a lone battle, scoring 35 off 30. Brian Bennett, the player of the match from series opener, made 27 off 26. There was hardly any other contribution from the other batters.
Rashid Khan and Naveen-ul-Haq bagged three wickets each to break the back of Zimbabwe's batting.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman too chipped in with a couple of wickets while Azmatullah Omarzai and Fareed Ahmad Malik took one apiece to bowl out Zimbabwe for 103 in 17.4 overs. Stay tuned as we'll be back with the post-match presentation..
Batting first, the visitors posted 153/6 from their 20 overs thanks to a fine half-century from Darwish Rasooli.
Sediqullah Atal (18) and Azmatullah Omarzai (28) were the notable contributors with the bat. Gulbadin Naib also chipped in with a handy unbeaten knock of 26 off 21.
Trevor Gwandu and Ryan Burl bagged two wickets each while Blessing Muzarabani got one wicket.
In reply, Zimbabwe lost Tadiwanashe Marumani early in the piece. Dion Myers too fell cheaply, leaving the hosts reeling at 25/2 after four overs.
Wessly Madhevere perished soon after the powerplay. Captain Sikandar Raza played a lone battle, scoring 35 off 30. Brian Bennett, the player of the match from series opener, made 27 off 26. There was hardly any other contribution from the other batters.
Rashid Khan and Naveen-ul-Haq bagged three wickets each to break the back of Zimbabwe's batting.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman too chipped in with a couple of wickets while Azmatullah Omarzai and Fareed Ahmad Malik took one apiece to bowl out Zimbabwe for 103 in 17.4 overs. Stay tuned as we'll be back with the post-match presentation..
8:31 PM IST and 5:01 PM Local Time: We are ready with the post-match ceremony...
Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe Captain): "(On what went wrong for Zimbabwe) Our batting has been a struggling Achilles heel. We have been failing with the bat time and time again. Still struggling to score a total, but still believe we have got the quality in the changeroom, and we can get the job done tomorrow. But painful to see the same mistakes being made.
Against Pakistan, we had problems everywhere. Having said that, the openers have found a bit of a form. There is a certain pattern in how to go about it in the T20s. Marumani and Bennett have been doing well. Myers will do well, too. These three will win games of their own at some point in time.
We got to 40-odd in the powerplay, which was an okay start. Not too bad, though. But could not capitalize after the powerplay. Our bowling and fielding was fantastic. It was a better wicket than yesterday, and we were confident we could get it done. That is why this hurts.
These guys (Afghanistan) are the semi-finalists of the T20 World Cup. If you want to win against them, you must be perfect in all three departments. You can't have good performance in one department and no performance in the other two. You can't win games by doing so. If you want to beat them, you have to beat them in all departments. We will find character and courage in the dressing room, which we sure will have lots of, to beat them.
We need to come back well and put in hard yards in all three departments to win. We are hoping for a better outing tomorrow in the series decider."
Against Pakistan, we had problems everywhere. Having said that, the openers have found a bit of a form. There is a certain pattern in how to go about it in the T20s. Marumani and Bennett have been doing well. Myers will do well, too. These three will win games of their own at some point in time.
We got to 40-odd in the powerplay, which was an okay start. Not too bad, though. But could not capitalize after the powerplay. Our bowling and fielding was fantastic. It was a better wicket than yesterday, and we were confident we could get it done. That is why this hurts.
These guys (Afghanistan) are the semi-finalists of the T20 World Cup. If you want to win against them, you must be perfect in all three departments. You can't have good performance in one department and no performance in the other two. You can't win games by doing so. If you want to beat them, you have to beat them in all departments. We will find character and courage in the dressing room, which we sure will have lots of, to beat them.
We need to come back well and put in hard yards in all three departments to win. We are hoping for a better outing tomorrow in the series decider."
Player of the Match: Darwish Rasooli
Rashid Khan (Afghanistan Captain): "Darwish came and did well at an area where we were struggling. For us, it was about hitting the right areas which we did.
It is a big ground at one side, you have to bowl according to it. Not too many sixes hit today or in the last game. You have to adapt to the conditions. Once you battle it out initially, you can score runs later.
We are always searching for someone who can bat at 4. The target is for the next World Cup. The preparation starts now. Today, he (Rasooli) got the opportunity and he delivered. He did well in the emerging cup as well for us."
It is a big ground at one side, you have to bowl according to it. Not too many sixes hit today or in the last game. You have to adapt to the conditions. Once you battle it out initially, you can score runs later.
We are always searching for someone who can bat at 4. The target is for the next World Cup. The preparation starts now. Today, he (Rasooli) got the opportunity and he delivered. He did well in the emerging cup as well for us."
That's it from us. Afghanistan bounce back in style after dropping the first game and they will be back in less than 24 hours to take on Zimbabwe at the same venue to play the decider. Do join us then and for more cricketing action from around the world, switch tabs on Crickxo.
This is Ajay Pal Singh signing off on behalf of my colleagues AkshayaKrishna Polya and Yogesh Kumar. Goodbye!!!!
This is Ajay Pal Singh signing off on behalf of my colleagues AkshayaKrishna Polya and Yogesh Kumar. Goodbye!!!!