Afghanistan – 177 all out in 19.5 overs (Ijaz Ahmed Ahmadzai 52, Shahidullah 46, Rashid Khan 30; Newman Nyamhuri 4/31, Brad Evans 2/34, Ernest Masuku 2/41)
Zimbabwe – 140 all out in 19.1 overs (Ryan Burl 32, Innocent Kaia 24, Wessly Madhevere 17; Fazalhaq Farooqi 3/13, Rashid Khan 2/20, Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2/27)
Afghanistan won by 37 runs
Zimbabwe had Afghanistan on the ropes at 66 for five, with debutant Ernest Masuku striking twice in his opening over, but their opponents rallied to secure a 37-run victory in the first T20 international in Sharjah on Tuesday.
Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai’s explosive half-century and a late assault from Rashid Khan transformed Afghanistan’s innings, lifting them to 177 despite Newman Nyamhuri claiming four wickets, including three in the final over.
Zimbabwe struggled to sustain their challenge in reply and were dismissed for 140 in 19.1 overs, with Ryan Burl’s 32 their highest score.
After Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to field, Brad Evans made the breakthrough in the second over, having Ibrahim Zadran caught by Brian Bennett at cover for five.
Masuku replaced Nyamhuri for the third over and made an immediate impact.
His fourth delivery drew an edge from Sediqullah Atal, who was caught behind by Tadiwanashe Marumani for two.
Mohammad Akram pulled his first ball for four, but Masuku trapped him lbw with the next to leave Afghanistan 18 for three.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Shahidullah steadied the innings with a partnership of 27 before a superb catch from Sikandar Raza gave Zimbabwe their fourth wicket.
Gurbaz, on 18, drove Wellington Masakadza firmly towards extra cover, where Raza parried the ball into the air before gathering the rebound as he fell.
Raza then struck with the ball, accepting a return catch from Azmatullah Omarzai for seven to leave Afghanistan struggling at 66 for five in the 12th over.
Ahmadzai changed the tempo, providing the aggression as Shahidullah helped rebuild the innings.
The pair added 57 before Nyamhuri removed Shahidullah for 46 off 42 balls, with Burl taking the catch at long-on from the first delivery of the 17th over.
Rashid joined Ahmadzai and immediately increased the pressure on Zimbabwe, the pair smashing 33 from 12 deliveries.
Evans ended Ahmadzai’s innings at the start of the 19th over, with Burl again holding the catch at long-on.
His 52 came from just 22 balls and included four fours and four sixes.
Rashid continued the assault, striking four sixes and a four in a blistering 30 off 10 deliveries before Nyamhuri checked Afghanistan’s charge with three wickets in the final over.
Wessly Madhevere took an excellent catch running in from deep midwicket to remove Rashid, before Evans held a skied chance from Noor Ahmad.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman then gave Raza his third catch of the innings, at cover, as Afghanistan were dismissed with one ball unused.
Nyamhuri finished with four for 31 from 3.5 overs, while Evans took two for 34 and Masuku two for 41.
Zimbabwe’s chase suffered an early setback when Ben Curran pulled Fazalhaq Farooqi to Omarzai at midwicket for seven, leaving them 12 for one.
Innocent Kaia began positively, scoring 14 from his first nine deliveries, including a four and a six, before Afghanistan’s bowlers tightened their grip.
He and Bennett added 36, but Rashid broke the partnership with the final delivery of the eighth over, bowling Kaia for 24 as he attempted to cut a googly.
Burl joined Bennett at 48 for two, but Zimbabwe lost another wicket with the score on 56 when Bennett’s attempted slog-sweep off Mujeeb was caught by Shahidullah in the deep.
He made 13 from 18 balls.
Raza and Burl revived the chase with a fourth-wicket stand of 38.
Burl struck Noor Ahmad for two sixes, while Raza hit Mujeeb for six and four before the spinner responded two deliveries later, having the Zimbabwe captain caught in the deep for 17.
At 94 for four in the 14th over, Zimbabwe needed a strong finish, but Afghanistan continued to take wickets.
Marumani was trapped lbw by Rashid for seven before Burl fell to the first ball of the 17th over, his powerful drive off Farooqi brilliantly held by a diving Shahidullah in the covers.
Madhevere struck a four and a six in a brisk 17 from eight deliveries, but was caught off Shahidullah to leave Zimbabwe 127 for seven.
Omarzai then removed Evans lbw for four and bowled Masuku first ball with successive deliveries in the penultimate over.
Masakadza struck a well-timed six and finished unbeaten on seven, but Farooqi completed the victory when Nyamhuri was caught by Rashid at long-off for two from the first delivery of the final over.
Farooqi finished with three for 13, while Rashid, Mujeeb and Omarzai claimed two wickets apiece as Afghanistan took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
