Innocent Kaia and Brendan Taylor both made 96 as Zimbabwe reached 250 for 5 on Day 1 of the second Test against Afghanistan in Sharjah, but debutant left-arm spinner Naseer Khan Maroofkhil took 4 for 118 before bad light ended play.
Sharjah, UAE: Zimbabwe finished the first day of the second Test against Afghanistan on 250 for 5 after 82 overs, with Brendan Taylor unbeaten on 96 and Tafadzwa Tsiga on 2. Innocent Kaia also made 96, but debutant Naseer Khan Maroofkhil took four wickets for Afghanistan. Bad light ended play with no chance of a late wicket for the home side.
A century stand to start
Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bat. Kaia and Ben Curran put on 98 for the first wicket. Curran was out lbw to debutant Naseer for 44 shortly after lunch.
Kaia and Taylor take control
Kaia and Taylor then added 102 for the second wicket and both reached half-centuries. Kaia fell lbw while attempting a slog sweep, four runs short of a hundred, after 167 balls. Taylor, who played in the drawn first Test, was still there at the close on 96 off 163 balls, with 12 fours and a six.
Naseer turns it around
Afghanistan hit back quickly after Kaia’s dismissal. Captain Brian Bennett was out for a duck to Naseer, and Wessly Madhevere, who mistimed a shot to long-off, made 3, leaving Zimbabwe 212 for 4. Antum Naqvi then added 21 with Taylor in nine overs before he was caught at first slip off Ziaur Rahman Sharifi for 8 from 44 balls. Naseer finished with 4 for 118 from 34 overs.
Day 2
Taylor will resume on 96 and look for his hundred, with Zimbabwe on 250 for 5 in a two-Test series that is still undecided after the drawn first Test.
Day 1 score: Zimbabwe 250/5 in 82 overs (Innocent Kaia 96, Brendan Taylor 96*, Ben Curran 44; Naseer Khan Maroofkhil 4/118). Stumps called for bad light.
