Zimbabwe batsman in action during the qualifying match of ICC WT20 2016 in India. Photo: AFP
Afghanistan romped into the Super Ten round of ICC WT20 2016 after
they handed Zimbabwe a 59-run pasting under the lights at Nagpur stadium
today.
Needing 187 to win, Zimbabwe were never in the chase as they lost
wickets in regular intervals as Afghan bowlers didn’t allow any
partnership to develop into anything substantial.
| Afghanistan v Zimbabwe |
| Zimbabwe: 127/10 (19.4/20 over) |
|
Afghanistan: 186/6 (20/20 over)
|
Rashid Khan of Afghanistan was the best bowler on show for his side,
and rattled Zimbabwe with three wickets for 11 runs in four overs. Hamid
Hassan contributed with two wickets while all the rest of the Afghan
bowlers captured a wicket each.
Zimbabwe’s batting line-up failed to turn up today, and many of them
got out under 20 runs. Tenth down Panyangara was the highest scorer with
17.
Zimbabwe lost their last wicket in the last over when Chatara was
dismissed by Stanikzai to the delight of his teammates. The writing was
on the wall for Zimbabwe after Dawlat Zadran sent back Wellington
Masakadza for six runs in the 19th over.
17th over saw Zimbabwe’s Tiripano throw away his wicket with an
unnecessary runout. Afghanistan were on top after they took Zimbabwe’s
seventh wicket in the 16th over.
Hamid Hassan picked up his second wicket of the match when he clean bowled Sikandar Raza for 15.
Zimbabwe were staring down the barrel after the 12th over as they had lost half their side with only 65 runs on the board.
Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan gave his team the upper hand when he sent
back Zimbabwe’s Sean Williams for 13 runs in the 12th over. Williams was
stumped as he tried to go for a big shot.
Zimbabwe lost their fourth wicket, that of Malcolm Waller in the 11th
over, and Afghanistan players enjoyed this vital wicket. Poor footwork
from Waller resulted in Shenwari’s ball disturbing his furniture.
Afghan allrounder Mohammad Nabi struck in the 8 th over to send
Zimbabwe sliding. Zimbabwe’s Mutumbani picked out the fielder in deep
midwicket after scoring 10 runs.
Rashid Khan sent back Sibanda in the seventh over as the batter
top-edged his sweep and was caught for a painfully slow 13-run knock.
Zimbabwe were rocked after a steady start in the fourth over when the
in-form Hamilton Masakadza was out for only 11 runs to his name.
As the Afghan bowlers applied pressure from both ends and dried up
the boundaries, Masakadza tried a big old slog to a full and straight
ball from Hassan, he missed and the bowler celebrated!
Sibanda and Masakadza batted sensibly but could not score as quickly as they would have liked.
Earlier, Afghanistan amassed 186 for the loss of six wickets thanks
to a breezy start and a blistering finish by their batsmen against
Zimbabwe in the qualifying match of ICC WT20 2016.
The 98-run stand between Nabi and Shenwari allowed the Afghans to
score quickly during the death overs and deflate the Zimbabwean bowlers
with lethal aggression.
Mohammad Nabi was the highest scorer for his side today with his
maiden fifty in T20I cricket. He smashed 52 from 32 balls with four
fours and two sixes.
Shenwari played a good hand with 43 runs from 37 balls, and he struck
four fours and a six in his cameo. Mohammad Shahzad gave Afghanistan a
quick start, and rattled the Zimbabwean bowlers early.
Zimbabwe’s Panyangara was the most successful bowler for his side in
this game. He took three for 32 in four overs. Tiripano and Williams
captured a wicket each.
Mohammad Nabi gave his side a great platform to reach a huge total with some lusty blows late in the innings.
Together with Shenwari, Nabi took the attack to Zimbabwean bowlers
and dispatched anything full or short. In nine overs, they produced 80
useful runs for Afghanistan.
Afghans were tottering at 63 for four after Noor was out in the 8 th over. He couldn’t score more than 10 runs.
Zimbabwe managed to take some quick breakthrough to stall Afghans, as Shehzad threatened to take the game away from them.
Zimbabwe’s Panyangara took the second Afghan in the sixth over. He sent back Asghar Stanikzai for a two-ball duck.
Zimbabwe fight back…
Zimbabwe’s Sean Williams managed to break the opening stand of
Afghanistan in the fifth over, not before Mohammad Shahzad entertained
the scant crowd at Nagpur stadium with some cracking boundaries.
Shahzad scored 40 out of his side’s 49 runs when he was dismissed. His reverse sweep could not beat the fielder at point.
The Afghan opener smashed seven fours and a huge six in his cameo.
Afghanistan captain Asghar Stanikzai opted to bat first after winning
the toss against Zimbabwe led by Hamilton Masakadza in the qualifying
match of ICC T20 2016 at Nagpur.
Zimbabwe and Afghanistan face each other in a shootout for a place in
the main draw, after two wins each. The Full Member, though, isn't the
favourite.
Afghanistan are ranked ninth, two places above Zimbabwe, and hold the
advantage. Zimbabwe have never beaten Afghanistan in T20 internationals
in four attempts.
Zimbabwe's performance has been sloppy this tournament, but they
scrambled to wins over Hong Kong and Scotland. Afghanistan's wins, on
the other hand, have been more emphatic.
Afghanistan
Mohammad Shahzad (Wicketkeeper), Noor Ali Zadran, Asghar
Stanikzai (Captain), Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Samiullah Shenwari,
Najibullah Zadran, Shafiqullah, Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran and Hamid
Hassan
Zimbabwe
H Masakadza (Captain), V Sibanda, R Mutumbami (Wicketkeeper), SC
Williams, MN Waller, Sikandar Raza, E Chigumbura, WP Masakadza, DT
Tiripano, T Panyangara and TL Chatara
