Afghanistan 125 for 8 (Nabi 31, Raza 2-18, Burl 2-22) beat Zimbabwe 90 for 9 (Noor 4-10, Ashraf 2-13) by 35 runs
Zimbabwe were looking comfortable at one stage, having reached 40 for 1 in six overs, when Noor’s introduction transformed the game. It began with Innocent Kaia’s run-out dismissal at the start of the seventh over, and at the end of the same over Noor picked up his first international wicket as Craig Ervine was lbw playing down the wrong line of a wrong’un.
Those two wickets began a slump that saw Zimbabwe lose six wickets for the addition of only 16 runs, with Noor picking up four of them inside his first three overs. With Sharafuddin Ashraf and Rashid Khan sharing a further three wickets while conceding just 21 off their eight overs, there was no way back for Zimbabwe. Five of their batters got into double figures, but their top score was Ryan Burl’s 15.
Burl was among Zimbabwe’s more impressive bowlers as well, as he and Sikandar Raza picked up four wickets between them in an early sign that spin would dominate this game. Afghanistan ensured they got to a fighting total, however, with Ihsanullah and Afsar Zazai putting on 26 for the second wicket, and Mohammad Nabi contributing a 30-ball 31 at No. 6.
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