Zimbabwe 142 for 4 (Curran 41, Williams 35*, Zahir 2-43) and 586 (Williams 154, Bennett 110*, Ervine 104, Ghazanfar 3-127) drew with Afghanistan 699 (Shahidi 246, Rahmat 234, Zazai 113, Bennett 5-95)
Afghanistan had themselves misplaced 6 for 20 to shut their innings searching for fast runs. However on what was in any other case a dull pitch, Zimbabwe’s spinners Brian Bennett and Williams did get some flip. Bennett bagged 5 of the six wickets to fall – that adopted a knock of 110* – and the enjoyable started when he had Shahidi lbw.
On the fifth ball of the 193rd over, Shahid went throughout the stumps to attempt to lap sweep, however was struck in entrance. Subsequent ball, Azmatullah Omarzai skied one again to Bennett, who was left on a hat-trick. Bennett bowled the hat-trick ball to Shahidullah to begin the 195th over, however the batter drove it to deep level.
However Williams had Zia-ur-Rehman caught for five subsequent over, as substitute fielder Tadiwanashe Marumani took an ideal catch whereas operating ahead from long-on. AM Ghazanfar then bashed Bennett for six, just for Bennett to be on a hat-trick once more. Ghazanfar swung one to long-on, whereas Naveed Zadran bottom-edged on to the stumps. However Bennett was denied once more, as Zahir Khan blocked one safely. Subsequent ball, although, Bennett accomplished his five-for when he trapped Zahir to wrap the Afghanistan innings up.
Zimbabwe’s second innings started within the afternoon session, when sufficient time was left for a shock consequence. Maybe seeing the Zimbabwe spinners get assist from the floor, Afghanistan requested Ghazanfar to share the brand new ball with Naveed Zadran. However Ben Curran led Zimbabwe’s counterpunch, as they smashed 32 runs within the first 5 overs.
That included 4 boundaries, together with three off Ghazanfar. Curran slashed, swept and swung the offspinner for 4 every, whilst Joylord Gumbie additionally hit a boundary in a way more affected person begin. Naveen, Zia-ur-Rehman, Omarzai and Zahir Khan checked Zimbabwe’s momentum thereafter, though Zimbabwe nonetheless went wicketless to tea.
Zia and Zahir did discover flip, although, and after a number of lbw appeals towards Gumbie had been turned down, Zahir lastly had Gumbie when the latter edged one to slide. A size ball round sixth stump hinted to show in, and Gumbie pushed ahead solely to get an outdoor edge. The opening partnership of 73 was damaged, however only one ball later, the gamers had been off as a consequence of rain.
The break final almost 40 minutes, however that did not have an effect on Afghanistan. Third ball into the resumption, Curran was run out for 41 when he tapped Zia in direction of midwicket and set for a single. However his companion Takudzwanashe Kaitano appeared to have refused the only a little bit too late, and the throw from the fielder discovered Curran properly quick on the wicketkeeper’s finish.
Subsequent over, Kaitano regarded to paddle sweep Zahir, who was bowling from across the wicket. The ball landed on a full size on center, and did not appear to show, as Kaitano missed his tried sweep, for which the size appeared a bit too full. However essentially the most aesthetically pleasing dismissal got here when Ghazanfar cleaned Dion Myers up within the twenty fifth over.
He drifted one in, and pitched it full on center and off to attract the batter ahead. Myers regarded to defend the road of the ball, but it surely turned away to uproot the off stump. Zimbabwe had been 88 for 4 at that stage, and nonetheless behind Afghanistan, who smelled a miracle. However the skilled Williams and Ervine took their facet to security by including 54 in lower than ten overs.
They took Zimbabwe previous Afghanistan at first of the thirtieth over, as Ervine drilled Zahir by the covers, and the batters ran 4. There have been loads of footmarks for the Afghanistan spinners to work with, however they could not strike any additional, as the sport resulted in a draw, and the two-match sequence remained locked at 0-0.
Himanshu Agrawal is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo