Afghanistan celebrated a historic triumph in Bulawayo as Rashid Khan’s spectacular seven-wicket haul in the second innings powered them to a commanding 72-run win over Zimbabwe in the second Test at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo. This victory secured a 1-0 series win, marking a significant achievement in Afghanistan’s journey in international Test cricket.
Rashid Khan’s magical spell
The final day of the Test saw Rashid deliver a bowling masterclass that left the Zimbabwean batting lineup in tatters. Starting the day at 205/8 and needing a mammoth effort to reach their target, Zimbabwe’s hopes were quickly dashed. Rashid struck in the second over, removing Richard Ngarava with a sharp delivery, and wrapped up the innings shortly after, finishing with figures of 7/66. His relentless accuracy and turn proved too much for the hosts, cementing his reputation as one of the premier spinners in world cricket.
Afghanistan’s all-round performance in the second innings
Afghanistan set the stage for their victory with a commanding batting display in their second innings. Rahmat Shah and Ismat Alam led the charge with exceptional centuries, scoring 139 and 101, respectively. Their contributions propelled Afghanistan to a formidable total of 363, giving them a crucial upper hand.
Chasing 278 for victory, Zimbabwe couldn’t put a fight, with skipper Craig Ervine only being the only half-centurion. The home team fell short of reaching the set target as Rashid and Zia-ur-Rehman (2/44) combined to restrict Zimbabwe to 205.
A landmark moment for Afghanistan
This series win is a testament to Afghanistan’s growing stature in Test cricket. Rashid’s match-winning performance not only highlighted his skills but also underscored Afghanistan’s potential to compete at the highest level.
Congratulations Afghanistan great bowling @rashidkhan_19 and Great batting by @RahmatShah_08 and @IsmatAlam pic.twitter.com/qMUXr666m4
— Mohammad Nabi (@MohammadNabi007) January 6, 2025
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His figures of 11 wickets across the match (7/66 in the second innings and 4/94 in the first) played a pivotal role in turning the game in Afghanistan’s favour.
𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 – 𝐑𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐝 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐧 🤩@rashidkhan_19 (25, 4/94, 23 & 7/66) bagged a well-deserving player of the match award for his incredible contributions in the second test match against Zimbabwe. 🤩🏅#AfghanAtalan | #ZIMvAFG |… pic.twitter.com/QjVNabM8YT
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) January 6, 2025
Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi praised the team’s collective effort. “First of all, congrats to the entire team, very happy with the way we performed. Coming back after a difficult first day was excellent, but mentally this will make us a lot more stronger. Performances from Rahmat, Ismat and Rashid were outstanding,” he said during the post-match presentation.
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