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Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by seven wickets in the final of the UAE ODI Tri-Series in Sharjah, chasing 170 with 93 balls to spare. Ibrahim Zadran made an unbeaten 70, and Rashid Khan’s 3/41 led a collective bowling effort that bundled Zimbabwe out for 169. The win completed an unbeaten tournament for Afghanistan.
Sharjah, UAE: Afghanistan finished the job in style under the lights on Friday. A disciplined bowling display and a calm chase gave them a seven-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the tri-series final, capping a campaign in which they did not lose a match.
Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bat, making two changes to their side. Afghanistan welcomed back pace bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi, and he finished with two wickets.
Zimbabwe Fall Apart Early
The Chevrons never found a platform. Afghanistan’s attack removed the top order cheaply, and Zimbabwe slipped to 55 for 4 inside the opening overs, with the innings in trouble almost from the start.
Raza Stands Alone
One man refused to go quietly. Captain Sikandar Raza dug in and top-scored with 68 off 83 balls. He added 60 for the fifth wicket with Ryan Burl, who made 31, and for a while the stand threatened to drag Zimbabwe towards a defendable total.
Once the partnership ended, the rest of the batting folded. Zimbabwe were bowled out for 169 in 43.3 overs, leaving too many runs short for their bowlers to defend.
A Spread-Out Bowling Effort
Rashid led the way with 3 for 41. Mohammad Nabi returned 2 for 25 from his ten overs, while Bilal Sami took 2 for 27 and Farooqi 2 for 41. Azmatullah Omarzai claimed the remaining wicket.
The night carried two milestones. Nabi’s two wickets brought him his 300th international wicket, and the final was Rashid’s 250th international appearance for Afghanistan. Rashid became the second Afghan player to reach that mark, after Nabi.
Zadran Anchors the Chase
A target of 170 asked little of Afghanistan’s batters, and the openers set the tone. Rahmanullah Gurbaz smashed 36 off 31 balls with four fours and two sixes, and he and Zadran put on 68 for the first wicket. Newman Nyamhuri removed Gurbaz, and Sediqullah Atal fell soon after for six, but Zimbabwe could not build on those breakthroughs.
Zadran and Rahmat Shah then added 82 for the third wicket, taking the game away from Zimbabwe. Rahmat was dismissed for 43, and Hashmatullah Shahidi hit the winning boundary in the 35th over. Zadran finished unbeaten on 70 from 96 balls and was named Player of the Match. Afghanistan ended on 170 for 3 in 34.3 overs, with Nyamhuri finishing with 2 for 43.
An Unbeaten Tournament
The victory completed a clean sweep for Afghanistan. They won all three of their matches, beating Zimbabwe twice and Bangladesh once. Their earlier win over Zimbabwe, on October 19 at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, was by 158 runs, with Atal scoring a century and Rashid taking 4 for 17.
Rashid was named Player of the Series after taking 11 wickets in three matches, a fitting reward for the spinner’s consistency across the tournament.
For Zimbabwe, Raza’s innings was the one bright spot in a final that slipped away early.
What Comes Next
The two sides will meet again soon. Afghanistan and Zimbabwe begin a T20 international series on Tuesday, October 27.
Score: Zimbabwe 169 all out in 43.3 overs (Sikandar Raza 68, Ryan Burl 31; Rashid Khan 3/41, Mohammad Nabi 2/25, Bilal Sami 2/27, Fazalhaq Farooqi 2/41) lost to Afghanistan 170/3 in 34.3 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 70*, Rahmat Shah 43, Rahmanullah Gurbaz 36; Newman Nyamhuri 2/43) by 7 wickets
Player of the Match: Ibrahim Zadran (Afghanistan), unbeaten 70 off 96 balls
Player of the Series: Rashid Khan (11 wickets in three matches)
