Published: Oct 29, 2015, 12:46 AM (IST)
Edited: Oct 29, 2015, 01:07 PM (IST)
Bulawayo: Afghanistan clinched a 2-0 victory over Zimbabwe in their two-match T20 International (T20I) series Wednesday and dedicated their win to victims of this week’s earthquake which rocked their country and neighbouring Pakistan. Four days after becoming the first non-Test side to beat a Test-playing nation in a one-day 50-over series, Afghanistan hammered home their superiority with a five-wicket win. They had won the first Twenty20 clash at the same Queen’s Sports Club venue by six wickets on Monday. “Our win is dedicated to all quake-smitten people of Afghanistan’s major earthquake,” tweeted Mohammad Nabi, the team’s leading all-rounder in reference to Monday’s 7.5 magnitude quake which left almost 400 people dead and thousands homeless. READ: Afghanistan registers dramatic victory over Zimbabwe, wins 2nd T20I and series
Opener Usman Ghani smashed a 45-ball 65 with man-of-the-match Guldabin Naib hitting an undefeated 56 off just 31 balls with seven boundaries. Afghanistan chased down their imposing 191-run target with one ball to spare. The Afghanistan innings started off in an unusual way today as regular hard hitter Mohammad Shahzad kept rotating strike for an in sync Usman Ghani. Ghani scored 65 off 45, a knock that included 6 fours and 3 sixes in it. But the one who held the entire innings together is Gulbadin Naib. READ: Afghanistan script history with ODI series win against Zimbabwe
Naib remained unbeaten for 56 runs as he steered the victory in Afghanistan’s way at a point when his side was losing wickets in quick succession. Most of their wickets being run-outs, Chamu Chibhabha became Zimbabwe’s leading wicket taker with his two wickets for 37 runs in his four overs. Naib became the man of the Man of the Match for his heroic knock that acted as the key element in Afghanistan’s brave win over the hosts
