Afghanistan face Zimbabwe today in Abu Dhabi tri-series clash
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Afghanistan meet Zimbabwe today in the second match of the UAE ODI tri-series in Abu Dhabi.
- Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh by 99 runs in the opener, after Craig Ervine scored 93.
- Afghanistan lead the head-to-head 20-10. Zimbabwe have not won in eight years.
Afghanistan face Zimbabwe today in Abu Dhabi. The match is the second game of the UAE ODI tri-series. It is set for the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
ODI means one-day international. In one-day cricket, each team bats once.
Each side faces 50 overs. An over is six balls.
Zimbabwe arrive full of confidence. They won the first match of the series.
Afghanistan arrive as favourites. Cricket World tipped them to win.
What happened
Zimbabwe opened the tri-series against Bangladesh on Saturday. The start was poor.
They lost three early wickets. The score read 24 for 3.
Then two old hands took charge. Craig Ervine and Brendan Taylor came together.
They added 150 runs for the fourth wicket. Ervine scored 93 runs off 106 balls.
Taylor scored 81 runs off 101 balls.
Zimbabwe reached 271 for 8 in 50 overs. Bangladesh never got close in reply.
Brad Evans took 4 wickets for 45 runs. Bangladesh were bowled out for 172. Zimbabwe won by 99 runs.
The win meant a lot to the captain. Sikandar Raza took his 100th ODI wicket in the match.
It was also his first win as ODI captain. It came in his tenth match in charge, according to ESPNcricinfo.
Sports Now reported one more milestone. Taylor passed Andy Flower to become Zimbabwe's leading ODI run scorer.
Flower held the record for years. Taylor now sits on top.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, come into the series fresh. They drew a Test against Bangladesh last week.
Sediqullah Atal starred in that match. He batted for more than eight hours.
He faced more than 300 balls to save the game.
Why it matters
The head-to-head record is lopsided. Afghanistan have won 20 ODIs against Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe have won 10. Zimbabwe have not beaten Afghanistan in eight years.
That run gives Afghanistan a clear edge. But one-day cricket can surprise.
A single big innings can flip a match. Zimbabwe just proved that against Bangladesh.
The format adds pressure. Each side faces the other two only once.
There is no second chance in the group stage. Every match shapes the race for the final.
Afghanistan are in strong form. Their last five ODI results read WWWWL.
They won their last series 4-0 away in Ireland. Zimbabwe's last five read WLLLL.
The opener was their first win in five.
Spin will be key. Rashid Khan has taken 50 wickets against Zimbabwe in ODIs.
His average is 14.18 against them. That is a superb record.
He returns to the side after rest. Ibrahim Zadran is back too.
Both sat out the Test against Bangladesh.
Atal is the man in form with the bat. He scored a century in that Test.
He now moves back to white-ball cricket. White-ball cricket means limited-overs games.
The skills change fast. He must switch from defence to attack.
The venue also shapes the game. The team batting first has won seven of the last eight ODIs here.
The average first-innings total is 251. The average second-innings total is 203. The weather is hot and humid. Batting under lights can be harder.
The toss could matter a lot.
This is also new ground for both teams. It is the first ODI tri-series that involves Afghanistan and Zimbabwe. Bangladesh are the third team in the mix.
Players to watch
Rashid Khan leads the list. He can turn a game with ball or bat.
His record against Zimbabwe speaks for itself. Fifty wickets at 14.18 is world class.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz opens the batting for Afghanistan. He plays with freedom.
He often turns a good start into a big score. Ibrahim Zadran joins him at the top.
For Zimbabwe, Ervine is the key batter. He held the side together against Bangladesh.
He attacked the spinners with reverse sweeps. A reverse sweep is a shot played across the body.
It sends the ball to the off side.
Taylor brings calm and experience. He has now passed Flower's record.
Raza leads the side. He bowls spin and bats in the middle order.
Brad Evans leads the pace attack. He took four wickets in the opener.
What happens next
The winner takes a big step toward the final. Zimbabwe would move to two wins from two.
Afghanistan would open their account with a win. The loser still has a path.
But the margin for error shrinks fast.
Afghanistan still face Bangladesh after this match. Zimbabwe also have more cricket to play.
The group stage is short. Each result counts double in a three-team event.
For fans, the questions are simple. Can Zimbabwe end eight years of hurt?
Can Afghanistan's spin attack strangle another chase? Can Ervine repeat his opener heroics?
One match will not settle the series. But it will set the tone.
Zimbabwe have the momentum. Afghanistan have the record.
Today in Abu Dhabi, one of those stories grows stronger.
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