Afghanistan clinched the tri-series title with a commanding seven-wicket victory in final over Zimbabwe. Their bowlers restricted Zimbabwe to 169 runs before the batters completed a comfortable chase.
Ibrahim Zadran led the pursuit with a composed half-century. He also shared a crucial partnership with Rahmat Shah to put Afghanistan firmly on course for the trophy.
Zimbabwe chose to bat first but struggled to build momentum against Afghanistan disciplined bowling attack in the final of tri-series.
Fazalhaq Farooqi struck early, claiming two wickets for 41 runs. Bilal Sami also made an impact with two scalps for 27 runs. As a result, Zimbabwe’s top order failed to establish a strong foundation.
Captain Sikandar Raza tried to rescue the innings. He played an aggressive knock of 68 from 83 deliveries and kept the scoreboard moving.
Moreover, Raza found useful support from Ryan Burl. The pair added 60 runs to give Zimbabwe some stability. A late 32-run partnership for the final wicket also helped them push towards a more respectable total.
However, Afghanistan continued to control the contest. Rashid Khan claimed three wickets for 41 runs, marking his 250th international appearance with an impressive performance. Mohammad Nabi also maintained pressure with two wickets for 25 runs in his 10 overs.
Eventually, Afghanistan dismissed Zimbabwe for 169, leaving their opponents with a modest target to defend.
Afghanistan began their chase with positive intent. Rahmanullah Gurbaz attacked the Zimbabwean bowlers and scored 36 runs from 31 balls.
He helped Afghanistan race to a 68-run opening partnership with his aggressive approach. However, Newman Nyamhuri broke the stand by dismissing Gurbaz before sending Sediqullah Atal back for six.
Those two breakthroughs reduced Afghanistan to 80/2 and briefly gave Zimbabwe some hope. The bowlers then tightened their lines around the drinks break and limited the flow of boundaries.
Nevertheless, Afghanistan had already built a strong platform. With only 90 runs remaining, the chasing side remained in a comfortable position.
Ibrahim Zadran took charge after the early wickets. He batted with patience and controlled the chase through a well-paced half-century.
Rahmat Shah provided valuable support at the other end. Together, the pair added 82 runs, effectively ending Zimbabwe’s hopes of defending the target.
Zimbabwe eventually broke the partnership when Wesley Madhevere dismissed Rahmat in the 33rd over. However, the breakthrough came too late to change the outcome.
Hashmatullah Shahidi joined Zadran and helped finish the job. Afghanistan crossed the target with seven wickets remaining and plenty of overs to spare.
Zadran’s steady innings proved crucial. His partnership with Rahmat removed any remaining pressure and ensured a smooth finish.
Afghanistan capped their campaign with an authoritative performance in the final. Their bowlers restricted Zimbabwe to a manageable score, while their batters chased it down without major trouble.
Zimbabwe, meanwhile, were left to reflect on a missed opportunity. After winning the toss and choosing to bat, they failed to build enough partnerships around Raza’s fighting innings.
In contrast to Zimbabwe, Afghanistan delivered a complete team performance in the final of tri-series. Their disciplined bowling, timely breakthroughs and composed batting helped them secure the trophy in style.
The victory confirmed Afghanistan’s status as tri-series champions and gave the team plenty of confidence heading into their upcoming international fixtures.
