Afghanistan bowled out Zimbabwe for a paltry 82 to win the first one-day international by 49 runs on Friday.
Afghanistan had been dismissed for just 131 with more than 10 overs to spare in the first game of the five-match series with opener Noor Ali Zadran top scoring with 63.
Leg-spinner Graeme Cremer claimed 5-20.
However, Zimbabwe then lost their last seven wickets for just 35 runs to be bowled out in the 31st over.
Afghanistan off-spinner Amir Hamza was the pick of the bowlers with 4-17 having been handed the new ball.
“The captain told me to bowl wicket-to-wicket and if an opportunity is there, don’t miss out,” Hamza told cricinfo.com.
“We have been here for a week, we have trained,” said Hamza, who was named man of the match. “We have a strong domestic structure which gets better day by day.”
Only three Zimbabwe batsmen reached double figures, with captain Elton Chigumbura top-scoring on 28.
Friday’s win followed Afghanistan’s 3-2 win in the ODI series in Zimbabwe in October. It was the first time that a non-Test playing team had beaten a Test nation in a ODI series.
“I thought we started well, at one stage we thought they would score 270,” Chigumbura said. “It’s about how you play the spinners. If you play them well, you are bound to win the game.”
The second game of the series is to take place at the same Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emitaters (UAE) on Tuesday.
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