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The second test between Zimbabwe i Afghanistan in Bulawayo it began with Zimbabwe asserting dominance on a day full of bowling brilliance. After electing to field first, Zimbabwe’s bowlers took advantage of the conditions perfectly, bundling Afghanistan below par for 157 on Day 1. The visiting batsmen struggled to find rhythm, with no one getting a score beyond 25. at regular intervals, leaving Afghanistan reeling. Zimbabwe’s openers then sailed safely into the tricky final three, reaching 6/0 at stumps and losing 151 runs.
Zimbabwe bowlers led by Sikandar Raza dominate Afghanistan
Zimbabwe’s bowling attack provided a masterclass in discipline and execution. Ricard boat he was unplayable at figures of 1/18 in 12 overs, stifling the Afghan batsmen with his accuracy. Blessing of Muzarabani provided crucial breakthroughs, claiming 2/56, including the key scalp of Shahidullah. Sikandar RazaOff-spin (3/30) was the highlight, dismantling Afghanistan’s middle order with subtle twists and variations. Newman Nyamhuri (3/42) shone in the later stages, clearing the tail expertly. The collective effort restricted Afghanistan to just 157 as Zimbabwe’s bowlers worked in tandem to exploit every lapse in concentration from the opposition.
Afghanistan’s batting woes continue
Afghanistan’s innings was hampered by an inability to build meaningful partnerships. openers Abdul Malik (17) i Riaz Hassan (12) took outs but could not convert them, while Rahmat Shah (19) and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (13) fell to soft layoffs. Afsar Zazai and Shahidullah tried to stabilize the innings with short deliveries, but none could withstand Zimbabwe’s relentless attack. Rashid KhanThe counter-attack of 25 off 20 balls provided a late spark but it was not enough to rescue the innings. Frequent collapses and a lack of enforcement underlined Afghanistan’s struggles as they were bowled out in just 44.3 overs, squandering any chance of a competitive total.
READ also: ZIM vs AFG 2nd Test: Bulawayo 5 Day Weather Forecast | Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan 2024-25
Zimbabwe’s steady start in reply
Zimbabwe Open, Joylord Gumbie (4 not out) i Ben Curran (1 not out), showed composure in the fading light, ensuring there was no early setback in his reply. Faced with three probes from Afghanistan’s bowlers, they carefully negotiated Rashid’s deliveries, Fareed Ahmad i Yamin Ahmadzai. Although the runs came slowly, the duo focused on preserving the wickets. Zimbabwe’s batting depth, with experienced batsmen like Craig Ervine i Sikandar Raza waiting in the wings sets them up for a dominant position on Day 2. The hosts will look to capitalize on this solid start and pile on the runs to take full control of the match.
Brilliant bowling display from Zimbabwe as they bowl out Afghanistan for 157 on Day 1 of the opening Test of the New Year.#ZIMvAFG #VisitZimbabwe 📝https://t.co/HdHfDCXyud pic.twitter.com/JqxnzfFVKr
— Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) January 2, 2025
