Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Afghanistan celebrated a historic triumph in Bulawayo as Rashid Khan’s spectacular second-innings haul of seven wickets propelled them to a commanding 72-run win. Zimbabwe in the second test at the Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo. This victory secured a 1–0 series win, marking a major 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 Zimbabwe’s batting line-up in a pinch. Starting the day at 205/8 and needing a huge effort to reach their target, Zimbabwe’s hopes were quickly dashed. Rashid struck in the second over, removing Richard Ngarava with a strong delivery, and ended 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 premier spinners in world cricket.
Afghanistan’s overall performance in the second innings
Afghanistan set the stage for their win with a great batting display in their second innings. Rahmat Shah and Ismat Alam led the charge with outstanding centuries, scoring 139 and 101 respectively. His contributions propelled Afghanistan to a formidable total of 363, giving them a crucial lead.
Chasing 278 for victory, Zimbabwe could not fight back, with skipper Craig Ervine making only the only half-century. The local team did not reach 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 match-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 a great batsman @RahmatShah_08 i @IsmatAlam pic.twitter.com/qMUXr666m4
— Mohammad Nabi (@MohammadNabi007) January 6, 2025
ALSO SEE: Blessing Muzarabani’s unplayable bouncer to dismiss Rashid Khan on Day 4 of ZIM vs AFG 2nd Test
His figures of 11 wickets throughout the match (7/66 in the second innings and 4/94 in the first) were instrumental in turning the game in Afghanistan’s favour.
Player of the Match – Rashid Ship@rashidkhan_19 (25, 4/94, 23 and 7/66) won the man 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 has praised the team’s collective effort. “First of all, congratulations to the whole team, very happy with the way we did. To come back after a difficult first day was 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.
