Recent Match Report – 2nd Test Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe 2020/21

With nothing in the field for sewing or spin, the duo continued to scale down Zimbabwe’s attack.

Afghanistan 388 for 3 (Afghan 137 *, Shahidi 127 *) v Zimbabwe

Afghanistan accumulated their highest score in the Test, amassing more than the 342 they scored against Bangladesh in September 2019, the second day of the second Test in Abu Dhabi. Hashmatullah Shahidi became their third Test centurion, joining Asghar Afghan – who raised a century of himself that day – and Rahmat Shah in the list, as they continued to scale down the Zimbabwe attack. With nothing in the field for sewing or spinning, the best Zimbabwe could do was keep the opposition quiet, which they did with some success at the start, but the races sank as they went. as the morning wore on.

Afghan and Shahidi’s fourth stand is 267, the highest for Afghanistan and the record for this site, while the Afghan 137 * is the team’s highest score in the Test.

Zimbabwe crushed Afghanistan from the start and gave up just 23 points in the first hour. Blessing Muzarabani adjusted his length for a fuller bowl than he had on day one and Victor Nyauchi found movement. Although they were both difficult to escape, they posed no serious threat and the caution and attention to detail of the Afghans and Shahidi in defense served them well.

Once they made it to the drink break unscathed, the couple opened up. Shahidi, who had been on 86 overnight, hit his 100 with a drive through point and celebrated with enthusiasm, not least because this is his comeback streak after being dropped for the game against the West Indies in November 2019. Next, Shahidi’s criticism was that he didn’t hit enough and although it took 276 bullets to elevate his century in this round, he can’t be faulted for going too slow. Its sleeves were perfectly paced and it complemented the more aggressive style of Afghanistan well.

Reaching the hundred seemed to relax him and Shahidi took the limits off Donald Tiripano and Sean Williams and then gave Zimbabwe their first chance of the morning. Shahidi was on 112 when he returned a ball to Williams that he could have taken at shoulder height, but he put his fingertips on it and then juggled it unsuccessfully. Williams had another opportunity in his next, when Afghan, out of 124, sliced ​​a point drive. Kevin Kasuza should have taken a simple take but couldn’t hold it.

Such was the extent of the opportunities Zimbabwe had, despite using six of their seven bowling options. Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl both found a turning point, which Afghanistan would have noted with enthusiasm. The pitch remains very good for the bat and Afghanistan need to be careful not to strike for too long and make no results except an impossible draw, and the first signs are that their spinners could make an impact when the cracks break down. open.