Ahmadzai, Rashid and Farooqi give Afghanistan a comfortable win

Sharjah — On a grippy, sluggish surface where most batters found life difficult, Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai turned in a blistering half-century to lead Afghanistan to a 37-run win over Zimbabwe in the opening T20I of the three-match series. Supported by a frantic late cameo and a crucial bowling spell from Rashid Khan, alongside a disciplined display by Fazalhaq Farooqi, Afghanistan defended their total of 177 to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Early Stumbles and Debut Brilliance Opting to bat, Afghanistan endured a shaky start as captain Ibrahim Zadran’s poor run of form continued. He fell in the second over to Brad Evans, chipping a delivery straight to cover. Zimbabwe’s 33-year-old debutant, Ernest Masuku—stepping in for the injured Blessing Muzarabani—made an immediate impact. Utilizing an awkward angle off the deck and consistent back-of-a-length deliveries, Masuku removed Sediqullah Atal edged behind and rapped Mohammad Akram on the pads. Replays hinted the ball to Akram might have cleared the stumps, but with no Decision Review System (DRS) available, the batter was forced to walk back. When Rahmanullah Gurbaz fell to a stunning catch by Sikandar Raza at extra cover off Wellington Masakadza, and Azmatullah Omarzai misread a Raza googly to chip a return catch, Afghanistan found themselves reeling at 66 for 5 in the 12th over. Ahmadzai and Shahidullah Turn the Tide With Afghanistan in deep trouble, Shahidullah played the anchor role, compiling a patient 46 off 42 balls. However, it was Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai who completely shifted the momentum. Batted as if operating on an entirely different surface, Ahmadzai launched a counter-attack against Zimbabwe’s bowlers. Stepping down the track, executing lofted drives in the 'V', and sweeping with authority, he reached a 20-ball fifty. Together, Ahmadzai and Shahidullah stitched together a explosive 61-run partnership in just 29 balls to revive the innings. Rashid’s Late Fireworks After Shahidullah’s departure in the 17th over, Rashid Khan added the finishing touches to the innings. Batting at No. 8, Rashid showcased his finishing capability by bludgeoning 30 off just 10 balls, featuring four sixes and a boundary. Highlights included a wristy slice off Evans in the 19th over that even drew a thumbs-up from the bowler. Despite Wessly Madhevere pulling off a diving catch at midwicket to end Rashid's cameo—and Newman Nyamhuri picking up three wickets in the final over to finish with figures of 4 for 31 as Afghanistan were bowled out for 177—the damage was already done. Spin and Discipline Squeeze Zimbabwe In response, Zimbabwe’s chase struggled to find momentum against a relentless Afghan bowling attack. Fazalhaq Farooqi removed Ben Curran early in the powerplay, leaving Zimbabwe at 38 for 1 after six overs. Rashid Khan was introduced in the sixth over rather than his typical middle-overs entry and quickly established dominance over the condition. In the eighth over, he set up Innocent Kaia (who had looked comfortable till then) with consecutive googlies before knocking back his stumps. Zimbabwe’s middle order fell apart under the scoreboard pressure: Brian Bennett (13 off 17) holed out to long-on off Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Sikandar Raza attempted a slog-sweep off Mujeeb and was caught in the deep. Rashid returned to pin Tadiwanashe Marumani lbw—marking his 199th T20I wicket—and finished with figures of 2 for 20. Farooqi and Shahidullah Seal the Win Ryan Burl offered resistance for Zimbabwe, top-scoring with 32 off 24 balls, but his innings ended when Shahidullah took an extraordinary stretched catch at cover off Farooqi. Shahidullah then took the ball himself to remove Wessly Madhevere. Farooqi wrapped up the match in the final over, finishing with 3 for 13 as Nyamhuri hit a catch straight to Rashid at long-off. Zimbabwe were bowled out for 140, handing Afghanistan a comfortable 37-run victory and extending their head-to-head record against Zimbabwe to 20 wins out of 22 T20I meetings. Match Summary Afghanistan: 177 all out in 19.5 overs (Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai 52, Shahidullah 46, Rashid Khan 30; Newman Nyamhuri 4-31, Ernest Masuku 2-27) Zimbabwe: 140 all out in 19.5 overs (Ryan Burl 32; Fazalhaq Farooqi 3-13, Rashid Khan 2-20, Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2-27) ## Result: Afghanistan won by 37 runs (Lead 3-match series 1-0)