Raza’s record century headlines Zimbabwe’s spirited chase
Afghanistan – 221-7 in 20 overs (Azmatullah Omarzai 116, Ijaz Ahmed Ahmadzai 52, Rashid Khan 25*; Brad Evans 2/40, Kundai Matigimu 2/48, Vincent Masekesa 1/21)
Zimbabwe – 202-5 in 20 overs (Sikandar Raza 106*, Tafadzwa Tsiga 31*, Innocent Kaia 25; Abdullah Ahmadzai 2/34, Azmatullah Omarzai 1/17, Rashid Khan 1/29)
Afghanistan won by 19 runs
Sikandar Raza struck a record-breaking unbeaten century as Zimbabwe mounted a spirited pursuit of 222 before going down by 19 runs to Afghanistan in the second T20 international in Sharjah on Thursday.
The Zimbabwe captain hammered 106 not out from 56 balls, sharing an unbeaten 120-run partnership with debutant Tafadzwa Tsiga to lift his side from 82 for five to 202 for five.
His innings, featuring nine sixes and five fours, made him the first Zimbabwean to score two T20I centuries and the first to reach three figures against a Full Member nation.
Tsiga provided assured support with an unbeaten 31 from 23 deliveries as the pair set a Zimbabwe sixth-wicket partnership record, surpassing the unbeaten 88 shared by Milton Shumba and Ryan Burl against Ireland in Dublin in 2021.
Their stand also ranked third on the all-time men’s T20I list, although Afghanistan secured the victory and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The match produced two outstanding centuries, with Azmatullah Omarzai’s 116 from 50 balls underpinning Afghanistan’s recovery after Zimbabwe’s seamers had dominated the opening exchanges.
Having chosen to bowl on a grassy surface offering some assistance, Zimbabwe made an exceptional start through Brad Evans and Kundai Matigimu.
Evans struck twice in the opening over, removing Rahmanullah Gurbaz with his second delivery as the opener skied a catch to Raza at cover.
Two balls later, Mohammad Akram’s attempted pull was taken by debutant leg-spinner Vincent Masekesa at deep backward square leg.
Matigimu made an equally dramatic entrance in the fourth over, claiming wickets with his first two deliveries.
Ibrahim Zadran dragged the ball onto his stumps for one before Shahidullah edged an away-moving delivery to wicketkeeper Tadiwanashe Marumani, leaving Afghanistan five for four.
Zimbabwe maintained the pressure throughout the powerplay, restricting Afghanistan to 19 for four after six overs.
Sediqullah Atal briefly steadied the innings, but Masekesa struck when the left-hander advanced down the pitch and edged behind for 17, reducing Afghanistan to 38 for five.
At the halfway stage, Zimbabwe had held their opponents to 45 for five.
Omarzai and Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai then launched a remarkable counter-attack, combining powerful hitting with growing confidence to add 142 for the sixth wicket.
Omarzai led the acceleration, while Ahmadzai ensured Afghanistan gathered momentum from both ends as they amassed 176 runs from the final 10 overs.
After reaching three figures in the 15th over, Afghanistan accelerated sharply.
Omarzai took 19 from an over by Raza and struck two more sixes off Matigimu before launching his most spectacular assault in Evans’ final over.
He hit three sixes and two fours as the over yielded 27 runs, bringing up his maiden T20I century from just 44 deliveries.
Ahmadzai contributed five fours and three sixes in his 52 from 27 balls before falling to Ernest Masuku immediately after reaching his half-century, ending the partnership at 180 for six.
Omarzai’s innings ended in the penultimate over when Evans took the catch at long-off off Raza.
His 116 contained 12 sixes and five fours.
Rashid Khan supplied a final flourish, striking four sixes in the last over to finish unbeaten on 25 from six deliveries as Afghanistan closed on 221 for seven.
Evans finished with two for 40 and Matigimu two for 48, while Masekesa returned an economical one for 21 from three overs.
Zimbabwe approached the demanding chase positively, with Innocent Kaia and Brian Bennett finding the boundary early.
Kaia struck 25 from 13 balls before departing at 39 in the fourth over, while Bennett contributed 22 from 15 before falling at 59 shortly before the end of the powerplay.
Afghanistan made further inroads through the middle overs.
Ryan Burl departed at 65, Marumani was trapped lbw by Rashid at 69 and Wessly Madhevere fell from the final delivery of the 10th over, leaving Zimbabwe 82 for five.
Raza and Tsiga responded with a composed partnership that developed into an entertaining display of attacking batting.
Making his T20I debut, Tsiga settled well and rotated the strike effectively, supplementing his captain’s hitting with two sixes and a four of his own.
Raza steadily increased the tempo, taking Zimbabwe to 122 for five after 14 overs and 146 for five after 16.
He struck Rashid for a six and a four, then launched successive sixes off Fareed Ahmad in an over that yielded 17 runs.
With two overs remaining, Zimbabwe were 176 for five and needed another 46.
A 10-run penultimate over left 36 required from the last, but Raza continued to provide a memorable finish.
He followed a towering six off Ahmadzai with a single into the off side to complete his century from 54 balls, acknowledging the applause before returning to the task.
Another six from the final delivery carried him to 106 not out and Zimbabwe beyond 200, capping a superb captain’s innings and a spirited batting effort.
The third and final T20I takes place at the same venue on Sunday.
