Zimbabwe began their T20 International series against Afghanistan with a dramatic 4-wicket victory at Harare Sports Club. A late cameo by Tashinga Musekiwa, who scored 19 runs, guided the hosts over the line off the final ball in a nerve-wracking finish while chasing 145 runs.
Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first on a scorching afternoon in Harare, where temperatures reached around 31 degrees. Despite the heat, the crowd was treated to a thrilling encounter.
The Chevron bowling attack delivered a solid performance, with Richard Ngarava being the standout bowler, claiming 3 wickets for 28 runs in his allotted 4 overs.
Blessing Muzarabani, Wellington Masakadza, and Trevor Gwandu each took one wicket, restricting the visitors to a total of 144 runs.
Afghanistan showed some resilience in the middle of their innings, thanks to a solid 79-run partnership between Karim Janat and Mohammad Nabi. Janat top-scored with 54 runs off 49 balls, while Nabi contributed a quickfire 44 off 27 balls.
Zimbabwe’s chase got off to a shaky start, with Tadiwanashe Marumani departing for just 9 runs, leaving the hosts at 11/1 after 2 overs.
Top-order batsmen Dion Myers and Brian Burnett stabilised the innings with a crucial 75-run partnership, rotating the strike effectively.
Burnett was unfortunate to miss out on his fourth T20 International half-century, falling for 49 runs off 49 balls, while Myers contributed 32 off 29 balls.
However, Zimbabwe lost wickets in clusters, with Naveen-ul-Haq causing the most damage, claiming 3 wickets for 33 runs.
In the end, Tashinga Musekiwa rose to the occasion, holding his nerve with some excellent stroke play and smart running between the wickets.
Assisted by Wellington Masakadza, Musekiwa ensured Zimbabwe crossed the line in a tense finish, securing a memorable victory.
Share Your Comments