Afghanistan came from 2-0 down to draw the one-day international series with Zimbabwe 2-2 after a 100-run win in the final game on Thursday.
Afghanistan made 259 at Queens Sports Club and bowled Zimbabwe out for 159. The victory gave Afghanistan a share of the spoils in their first one-day international series against a Test-playing nation.
The visitors’ score was based largely on contributions from the middle order, with wicketkeeper-batsman Shafiqullah top-scoring with 56 from 43 balls at No. 7.
Photo: AFP
Gulbadin Naib (31), Nasir Jamal (39), Samiullah Shenwari (40) and captain Mohammad Nabi (37) also chipped in.
Donald Tiripano took five for 63 for Zimbabwe.
The Afghanistan bowlers secured the series-leveling victory by bowling out Zimbabwe in 38 overs.
Left-arm spinner Sharafuddin Ashraf led with three for 29, while Dawlat Zadran and Aftab Alam took two wickets each.
Zimbabwe wicketkeeper Richmond Mutumbami made 64 on his one-day debut, but there was little else from the home batsmen, who collapsed badly in the middle of their innings.
Zimbabwe could not recover after slumping from 29-2 to 29-6, losing four wickets in 11 balls.
Mutumbami put on 97 for the seventh wicket with Timycen Maruma, but once that partnership was broken by Ashraf, Afghanistan hurried on to a memorable victory.
In related news, Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Peter Chingoka unexpectedly stepped down from his position after 22 years at the helm, as the organization also announced changes at both coach and captaincy level after a board meeting in Harare.
Chingoka had previously indicated that he would stand for re-election when his term ended next year, but a statement said that the 60-year-old had retired as both chairman and board member “on his own accord” during Thursday’s meeting.
“In his parting remarks he indicated that his decision was based on the need to have a well-defined succession plan in which it had been agreed that a year before his term he would step down and assist the incoming chairman,” the statement said.
The board appointed Chingoka’s deputy, Wilson Manase, as chairman, with Maureen Kuchocha coming in as vice chairman.
The board also created the position of national director of coaching and immediately assigned national coach Andrew Waller to the role, thus handing assistant coach Stephen Mangongo control of the national team for next month’s assignments against South Africa and Australia.
Zimbabwe take on the Proteas in a one-off Test and three one-day internationals, before Australia arrive for a tri-series.
All-rounder Elton Chigumbura will lead Zimbabwe in the one-day internationals after the board opted to split the captaincy.
Brendan Taylor will remain in charge of the Test side, while Chigumbura has been handed the reins of the one-day and Twenty20 teams.
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