Zimbabwe – 586 and 142-4 in 34 overs (Ben Curran 41, Sean Williams 35*, Joylord Gumbie 24; Zahir Khan 2/43, AM Ghazanfar 1/34)
Afghanistan – 699 all out in 197 overs (Hashmatullah Shahidi 246, Rahmat Shah 234, Afsar Zazai 113; Brian Bennett 5/95, Sean Williams 2/145, Blessing Muzarabani 1/52)
Match drawn
Brian Bennett, at just 21 years and 46 days old, became the youngest player in history to score a century and take a five-wicket haul in a Test match during the Boxing Day encounter between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
The historic match ended in a draw on Monday.
The previous record-holder, New Zealand’s Bruce Taylor, achieved the feat at 21 years and 236 days during a Test against India at Eden Gardens in 1965.
Bennett also became only the second Zimbabwean to accomplish this double, following Paul Strang’s landmark performance against Pakistan in 1996.
Several milestones were set during the match.
Afghanistan resumed the fifth and final day at 515 for three, with Hashmatullah Shahidi unbeaten on 179 and Afsar Zazai on 46.
Shahidi’s steady approach paid off as he reached his second double-century in Tests, both scored against Zimbabwe.
In doing so, he reclaimed Afghanistan’s highest individual Test score, surpassing Rahmat Shah’s 234.
Zazai, meanwhile, brought up his maiden Test century in emphatic fashion, pulling a short ball from Brandon Mavuta over the square-leg boundary for six.
He eventually fell for 113, mistiming a cut off Sean Williams to be caught at backward point by substitute fielder Johnathan Campbell.
His partnership of 211 runs with Shahidi was instrumental in pushing Afghanistan’s score past 600.
Shahidi was finally dismissed lbw for 246 shortly after lunch, missing a sweep against Bennett.
His innings, comprising 474 balls and 21 boundaries, now stands as the highest individual Test score for Afghanistan.
Following his dismissal, Afghanistan’s lower order collapsed.
The new man, Azmatullah Omarzai, went for a big hit off the first ball he faced, but only succeeded in skying a catch back to the bowler.
Three overs later, Zia-ur-Rehman was caught at long-on off the bowling of Williams, an excellent catch running forward by another substitute fielder, Tadiwanashe Marumani, for five.
In the next over, AM Ghazanfar was also caught at long-on by Trevor Gwandu off the bowling of Bennett for six, and for the second time in the innings Bennett found himself on a hat-trick as he knocked out Naveed Zadran’s middle stump.
The last man, Zakir Khan, blocked the next delivery, but missed the following one, which had him lbw.
The last six wickets had fallen for 20 runs, as Bennett cleaned up the tail with a fiery spell, finishing with figures of five for 95 in 28 overs, all his wickets coming in his last three overs.
Afghanistan were bowled out for 699, leading by 113 runs.
Facing a significant deficit, Zimbabwe’s openers sought to bat time.
Ben Curran started aggressively, striking three boundaries in the first two overs, while Joylord Gumbie played a more cautious role.
The pair added 73 runs before Gumbie (24) edged to slip off Zahir Khan.
Soon after, Curran was run out for 41 following sharp fielding by Shahidi, leaving Zimbabwe at 76 for two.
The dismissals of Takudzwanashe Kaitano (5) and Dion Myers (4) threatened to derail Zimbabwe’s efforts as they slumped to 88 for four, still trailing by 25 runs.
However, veterans Sean Williams and Craig Ervine steadied the innings with an unbeaten partnership.
Williams finished on 35 not out, while Ervine contributed an unbeaten 22 before the captains agreed to a draw during the final session.
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