Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by two wickets on Tuesday in a thrilling one-day international to keep alive their hopes of squaring the series.
The hosts scored 261-8 off 50 overs at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and Afghanistan reached 264-8 with two balls to spare.
Afghanistan, who lost the first two matches by six wickets and eight wickets, can draw the four-match series by winning again at the same venue today.
Photo: AFP
The cricket minnows are using the matches to prepare for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in February and March next year.
Opener Hamilton Masakadza top-scored for the hosts with 84 runs and his 93-ball stand included nine fours and two sixes.
Captain Brendan Taylor (53) and Sean Williams (49) were the other Zimbabwe batsmen to impress, while Aftab Alam (two for 44) and Dawlat Zadran (two for 49) returned the best bowling figures for the visitors.
Openers Javed Ahmadi (56) and teenager Usman Ghani (43) contributed most to the Afghanistan’s run chase, followed by Mohammad Nabi (42) and Samiullah Shenwari (41).
Lower-order pair Dawlat Zadran (24) and Shapoor Zadran (5) sealed victory in a tense finish with an unbeaten ninth-wicket stand.
Williams (two for 33) and Natsai M’shangwe (two for 50) were the most successful Zimbabwe bowlers.
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