AM Ghazanfar shone brightly with a fantastic five-wicket haul for just 33 runs, leading Afghanistan to a convincing eight-wicket victory over Zimbabwe on Saturday, clinching the one-day international series 2-0.
What an impressive achievement for the 18-year-old! Just last month, he took six wickets against Bangladesh, and now he’s been named man of the match in Harare, helping his team overpower the hosts for the second time in just a few days. The first ODI of this three-match series was washed out on Tuesday, so this win boosted Afghanistan’s spirits!
Zimbabwe batted first, but aside from a solid 60 runs from veteran Sean Williams, they struggled and found themselves all out for 127. Sediqullah Atal, who just scored his first ODI century on Thursday, led the Afghan charge with a score of 52, helping his team chase down the target of 131 for just two wickets in 26.5 overs. This victory also highlighted Afghanistan’s great form in white-ball cricket, following their success in the recent Twenty20 series.
This win marks Afghanistan’s seventh ODI series triumph over Zimbabwe, with one series drawn, which is a testament to their growing prowess.
Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi expressed his excitement about the young talents in the team.
Ghazanfar has made quite the splash this year, also being part of the Kolkata Knight Riders squad that won the Indian Premier League! Star leg spinner Rashid Khan also contributed to the Zimbabwean troubles, taking three wickets for 38 runs, further exposing the vulnerabilities of the Zimbabwe batting lineup. Just two days earlier, they were bowled out for just 54 runs!
Williams was one of the bright spots for Zimbabwe in this match, his 61-ball innings featuring three sixes and six fours. Unfortunately, his impressive run ended with a reverse sweep off Khan that was caught by the ever-reliable Mohammed Nabi at first slip.
Atal and Abdul Malik set the stage with a strong partnership of 84 for the first wicket, but they both fell swiftly in succession. Shahidi, with an unbeaten 20, confidently guided the team to victory with plenty of balls to spare.
A spectacular catch at deep extra cover by Brian Bennett brought Atal’s innings to a close, while Malik fell to a delivery that clipped his leg stump.
Next up, the teams will head to Bulawayo for a two-Test series, with the first match starting on December 26. What an exciting time for cricket fans!
