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Afghanistan celebrated a historic win in Bulawayo when Rashid Khan’s spectacular seven-wicket haul in the second innings propelled them to a resounding 72-run victory 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 magic spell
The last day of the test saw Rashid deliver a bowling masterclass that left the Zimbabwe batting line-up 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 concluded the innings soon after, finishing with figures of 7/66. His relentless accuracy and spin proved too much for the hosts, cementing his reputation as one of the leading spinners in world cricket.
Afghanistan’s comprehensive performance in the second innings
Afghanistan set the stage for their victory with an impressive batting display in their second innings. Rahmat Shah and Ismat Alam led the charge with exceptional centuries, scoring 139 and 101 respectively. His contributions propelled Afghanistan to a formidable total of 363, giving them a crucial lead.
Zimbabwe, chasing 278 players for victory, could put up no resistance, with captain Craig Ervine the only half-centurion. The home team failed to achieve the set goal Rashid and Zia-ur-Rehman (2/44) combined to restrict Zimbabwe to 205.
A historic moment for Afghanistan
This series win is a testament to Afghanistan’s growing stature in Test cricket. Rashid’s winning performance not only highlighted his skills but also underlined Afghanistan’s potential to compete at the highest level.
Congratulations Afghanistan great bowling. @rashidkhan_19 and great batting @RahmatShah_08 and @IsmatAlam pic.twitter.com/qMUXr666m4
—Mohammad Nabi (@MohammadNabi007) January 6, 2025
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His figures of 11 wickets throughout the match (7/66 in the second innings and 4/94 in the first) played a key role in turning the match in favor of Afghanistan.
𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 – 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐧 🤩@rashidkhan_19 (25, 4/94, 23 and 7/66) bagged the well-deserved 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 congratulations to the whole team, very happy with the way we performed. The comeback after a difficult first day has been excellent, but mentally this will make us much stronger. “The performances of Rahmat, Ismat and Rashid were exceptional.” he said during the post-match presentation.
