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Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan Final Full Commentary
Result · Oct 23 2026, Fri - 05:00 PM (IST)
AFG 170/3 (34.3)
ZIM 169/10 (43.3)
Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by 7 wickets
CRR:4.93
Player Of The Match
Player Of The Series
AFG ZIM
Welcome back for the run chase. The umpires and the players are out in the middle. Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz open up for Afghanistan. Blessing Muzarabani has the new ball in hand and is raring to go. Let's play...
... THE RUN CHASE ...
Rashid spins a web - With wickets continuing to tumble, Raza fought a brave lone battle, compiling a gritty 68 off 83 deliveries to keep his team afloat. However, Rashid Khan took control through the middle overs, trapping Brad Evans lbw and rattling Newman Nyamhuri's stumps. The leg-spinner then landed the knockout blow in the 34th over to leave Zimbabwe reeling at 137/9. The final wicket partnership somehow showed grit and pushed the total to 169. So, can Afghanistan dominate with the bat as well? Or will Zimbabwe roar back? We shall find out soon. Chase coming up shortly...
A quick chat - Mohammad Nabi is in for a chat. He says that there is no recipe for taking wickets here, but just bowling proper lines and lengths, and eventually, the batters give chances to take wickets. Nabi adds that there is a bit of grip in the surface, and it is important to assess the conditions early. He ends by saying that they are confident of chasing the target down.
Raza and Burl rebuild - Captain Sikandar Raza took charge and found an able ally in Ryan Burl to steady the ship. The pair soaked up the pressure and stitched together a crucial 60-run stand for the fifth wicket to inject life back into the innings. Just as the stand was gathering momentum, veteran spinner Mohammad Nabi intervened, dismissing Burl for 31 before combining with Rahmanullah Gurbaz to stump Wessly Madhevere.
Early Afghan pace blitz - Opting to bat first in the final under testing, humid conditions in Sharjah, Zimbabwe were pushed onto the back foot almost immediately. Afghanistan’s seam attack hit the ground running with Fazalhaq Farooqi striking twice and Azmatullah Omarzai bowling an exceptionally tight opening spell. Bilal Sami soon got in on the act to remove Brendan Taylor, leaving Zimbabwe in deep trouble at 55/4 inside the first 13 overs.
OUT! PLUMB! That looks pretty straight. Angling in, on a length, on middle. Wellington looks to block it but misses and wears it on his back pad. A loud appeal and the finger goes up straightaway. Wellington refers. Nothing on Ultra Edge and Ball Tracking shows three reds. Zimbabwe have been bowled out for 169 runs.
Angling in, on off, Blessing Muzarabani looks to block it but edges it to third man for a single.
Hits the deck hard, on off, Blessing Muzarabani fends it to point.
Short, on off, Wellington Masakadza punches it to cover.
Top edge, safe! Short, on off, Blessing Muzarabani looks to pull it but gets a top edge that lands safely at the front of deep mid-wicket. The batters cross.
Flatter, on leg, Blessing Muzarabani flicks it to square leg.
Quicker, on leg, Blessing Muzarabani flicks it to square leg.
Close! Short, on off, Blessing Muzarabani swings hard but misses. Somehow the ball misses the stumps and goes just over the off pole. Dot.
Short, on off, Wellington Masakadza slaps it through covers for a single.
AM Ghazanfar is back on.
Fullish, on off, Blessing Muzarabani blocks it back to the bowler.
Hits the deck hard, outside off, Blessing Muzarabani leaves it alone.
Bangs it short, on leg, Blessing Muzarabani ducks under it.
Much fuller, on off, Blessing Muzarabani taps it to cover.
Back of a length, outside off, Blessing Muzarabani has a waft at it but misses.
SIX! Well, well, that has gone all the way! Full and on off, Blessing Muzarabani latches onto it and powers it down the ground. The ball lands on the boundary cushion for a maximum.
Much fuller, on off, Wellington Masakadza taps it to cover.
A mixup but no harm done! Flatter, on off, Wellington Masakadza taps it to mid on and calls for one but there is a mixup. The fielder has a shy at the bowler's end but misses. The batters make it home back in time.
Shortish, on leg, Blessing Muzarabani knocks it to mid on for a single.
Much fuller, on off, Wellington Masakadza eases it to cover for a quick single. Rashid Khan throws it toward the keeper who makes a shy at the stumps.
Flatter, on leg, Wellington Masakadza flicks it to mid-wicket.
Arm ball, a bit short, Wellington Masakadza punches it to cover.
Time for the final 10 overs. Zimbabwe's final batting pair has done really well to prolonge this innings, but the question is - can they get to a fighting total? We'll see.
FOUR! A frustrating end to another fine spell by Rashid Khan. Tossed up on the stumps, it is the googly again. Blessing Muzarabani picks it early, lunges across and whips it down to deep square leg for a boundary.
Curtains down on the Tri-Series finale - And that brings the curtains down on an electric finale as Afghanistan are officially crowned the Tri-Series champions! Rahmat Shah proudly hoists the silverware into the air, flashing a wide smile as his teammates erupt into well-deserved celebrations to cap off a commanding campaign. It has been an absolute pleasure bringing you every moment of the action, and we hope you enjoyed our company as much as we enjoyed yours throughout this tournament. Until the next one, thank you for tuning in, take care, and cheers!
The captain of Afghanistan - Rahmat Shah says that they concentrated on rotating the strike and that worked for them. He congratulates his countrymen and expresses deep pride in lifting the tri-series trophy. Explaining the cautious run chase, he shares that the tactical plan is to bat deep and prioritize strike rotation over boundary-hitting to preserve wickets and keep the pressure on the opposition. Becoming the first Afghan captain to record seven consecutive ODI wins, Rahmat credits the historic streak to a collective team effort with both bat and ball, emphasizing that the squad aims to maintain this strong momentum moving forward.
The captain of Zimbabwe - Sikandar Raza expresses disappointment over being left without support from the other end, emphasizing that winning finals demands a collective team effort rather than solitary heroics. He points out the recurring top-order collapses as a major worry and notes that having only two days to prepare leaves the squad struggling to adjust to the intense heat and unfamiliar subcontinent conditions, an issue he plans to raise with the board. Despite physical discomfort and tough circumstances, Raza highlights the importance of mental grit, stating that he continues to grind because putting the team's needs above personal hardship is what defines their squad.
Player of the Series - Rashid Khan is the Player of the Series for his 11 wickets in 3 games. He highlights that winning the tri-series provides a vital morale boost for the upcoming T20Is, urging the squad to carry this winning momentum forward after learning valuable lessons against India. Emphasizing that the batters must take greater responsibility to play deep and the bowling unit must continue to sharpen its skills, Rashid candidly notes that Afghanistan is not yet fully prepared for the 2027 World Cup. He stresses that adapting to unfamiliar conditions requires substantial effort and continuous improvement so the team can deliver an even stronger campaign than in 2023.
Player of the Match - Ibrahim Zadran is the Player of the Match for his unbeaten knock of 70 runs. He expresses satisfaction with finding his batting rhythm and aims to carry this strong momentum into the upcoming T20I series after giving his hundred percent in the one-dayers. Reflecting on his partnership with Rahmat Shah, he highlights their habit of staying calm, communicating clearly, and breaking the run chase down into steady mini-partnerships. Despite the pressure of losing back-to-back wickets, Zadran maintains his composure by keeping the scoreboard ticking through smart strike rotation and busy running between the wickets, which he says injects vital positive energy into the team.
Presentations coming up...
Zadran and Rahmat anchor the championship finish - Ibrahim Zadran took total control of the chase, playing the anchor role with a measured, match-winning half-century. Alongside Rahmat Shah, Zadran stitched a calm 82-run stand that effectively shut the door on Zimbabwe's hopes. Though Wessly Madhevere picked up Rahmat late in the 33rd over, skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi joined Zadran to take Afghanistan across the line with 7 wickets and plenty of overs in hand to seal the tri-series silverware.
Gurbaz flies early - Chasing a modest 170, Afghanistan got off to a flying start as Rahmanullah Gurbaz went on the attack, smashing 36 off 31 balls in a lively 68-run opening stand. Zimbabwe seam bowler Newman Nyamhuri provided the breakthrough by sending back Gurbaz and then removing Sediqullah Atal for 6 to reduce Afghanistan to 80/2. Zimbabwe bowled tightly around the drinks break, holding boundaries for a while, but with such a low target to defend, their brief spell of pressure was not enough to rattle the chase.
Disciplined Afghan attack restricts Zimbabwe - The first innings was completely owned by Afghanistan's bowlers after Zimbabwe chose to bat. Seamers Fazalhaq Farooqi (2/41) and Bilal Sami (2/27) tore through the Chevrons' top order before Rashid Khan celebrated his 250th international match in style with 3/41. Mohammad Nabi kept things tight with 2/25 in his 10 overs. Sikandar Raza played a valiant captain's knock of 68 off 83 balls, adding 60 with Ryan Burl and finding late resistance in a 32-run final-wicket stand, but Zimbabwe were bundled out for just 169.
Afghanistan crowned Tri-Series champions - Afghanistan lift the tri-series trophy in style with a clinical and commanding display. For Zimbabwe, it is a story of what could have been; after winning the toss and choosing to bat first, their top and middle order crumbled without showing enough resistance. Zimbabwe desperately needed their top-order batters to build partnerships and support skipper Sikandar Raza, rather than leaving him isolated with too few runs on the board to challenge a confident Afghan batting lineup.
FOUR! That will do! Short and wide, Hashmatullah Shahidi latches onto it and cuts it through cover-point for a boundary. Afghanistan win by 7 wickets and clinch this Tri-Series.
Fired in, on off, Hashmatullah Shahidi guides it to third man for a brace.
Flatter, on off, Hashmatullah Shahidi punches it to cover.
Turning in, on off, Ibrahim Zadran punches it to cover.
A bit short, on leg, Hashmatullah Shahidi tucks it through square leg for a single.
Nice and full, on off, Ibrahim Zadran knocks it down the ground for a single.
Shortish, on off, Ibrahim Zadran eases it to mid on.
Fired in, on off, Ibrahim Zadran blocks it back to the bowler.
A bit short, on leg, Ibrahim Zadran tucks it to mid-wicket.
Fullish, on off, Hashmatullah Shahidi pushes it to cover.
With just 8 runs needed, Hashmatullah Shahidi walks in to bat.
OUT! TAKEN! That's an unbelievable catch from Ryan Burl. Short, on off, Rahmat Shah pulls it to mid-wicket. Ryan Burl flies over to his left and takes a one handed blinder. The Afghan skipper misses out on a half century and walks back in disbelief.
Short, on middle, Rahmat Shah blocks it back to the bowler.
Fired in, on off, Ibrahim Zadran knocks it down the ground for a single.
Flatter, outside off, Rahmat Shah punches it through covers for a single.
Turning in, on off, Rahmat Shah pushes it to cover.
Turn and bounce, on off, Ibrahim Zadran sweeps it to square leg.
Nice and full, on off, Ibrahim Zadran blocks it back to the bowler.
Short, on off, Ibrahim Zadran tugs it to mid-wicket.
Fired in, on off, Ibrahim Zadran eases it back to the bowler.