ZIMBABWE showed resilience and determination as they fought hard to come within a whisker of chasing down a mammoth target against Afghanistan in the final T20I against Afghanistan at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.
Despite losing by nine runs, the hosts showed glimpses of brilliance in their chase of a mammoth 210, a target that seemed achievable until the last overs.
The visitors took the series 3-0 after outplaying Zimbabwe in the first two matches, but Sunday’s display was a welcome respite from the team’s earlier struggles. Afghanistan’s openers Ramanullah Gurbaz and skipper Ibrahim Zadran set the tone with half-centuries, scoring 92 (48) and 60 (49) respectively. Sediqullah Atal and Mohammad Nabi remained unbeaten on 35 and 1 as Afghanistan posted 210.
In response, Zimbabwe’s captain Sikandar Raza led from the front with a blistering 51 off 29 balls. Brian Bennett fell just short of a half-century, scoring 47, while Ryan Burl’s explosive innings included five sixes in his 37 runs off 15 balls. Tashinga Musekiwa chipped in with 28 off 17 balls, and Wellington Masakadza remained unbeaten on five. Despite a late surge, Zimbabwe fell short, being bowled out for 201 runs on the last ball of the match.
The match showcased Zimbabwe’s potential and highlighted areas for improvement as they gear up for the T20 World Cup in India next year. With some fine performances, the team will look to build on this momentum and silence their critics.
