Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe, 2nd T20I: 12 key moments, ball by ball
Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by 19 runs.
Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by 19 runs in 2nd T20I of Twenty20 International — Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe in UAE. Here is how the match turned, ball by ball: the overs that changed it, the wickets that mattered and the numbers behind the result.
Key moments, ball by ball
- AFG Over 3.2 — Afghanistan collapse: 4 wickets for 4 runs (0/0 to 4/4)
- AFG Over 14.2 — Azmatullah Omarzai brings up a fifty off 31 balls
- AFG Over 16.5 — Azmatullah Omarzai brings up a hundred off 44 balls
- AFG Over 17 — 27 runs came off the over, bowled by Brad Evans: 6 6 4 6 4 1
- AFG Over 17.5 — Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai brings up a fifty off 26 balls
- AFG Over 17.6 — Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai out for 52 (27), caught by Ernest Masuku. 179/6
- AFG Over 18.5 — Azmatullah Omarzai out for 116 (50), caught by Sikandar Raza. 194/7
- AFG Over 20 — 25 runs came off the over, bowled by Kundai Matigimu: 1 6 6 6 0 6
- ZIM Over 1 — 16 runs came off the over, bowled by Fareed Ahmad: 0 4 1 4 6 1
- ZIM Over 14.2 — Sikandar Raza brings up a fifty off 34 balls
- ZIM Over 18 — 17 runs came off the over, bowled by Fareed Ahmad: 2 0 6 6 1 wd 1
- ZIM Over 19.3 — Sikandar Raza brings up a hundred off 54 balls
How the runs came
Afghanistan were 44 after 10 overs and finished on 221/7. Zimbabwe were 81 after 10 overs and finished on 202/5.
Phase by phase
| Phase | AFG | ZIM |
|---|---|---|
| Powerplay (1-6) | 18/4 (RR 3.00) | 58/2 (RR 9.67) |
| Middle overs (7-15) | 99/1 (RR 11.00) | 74/3 (RR 8.22) |
| Death overs (16-20) | 103/2 (RR 20.60) | 68/0 (RR 13.60) |
In the powerplay, Zimbabwe scored 40 more than Afghanistan. In the middle overs, Afghanistan scored 25 more than Zimbabwe. In the death overs, Afghanistan scored 35 more than Zimbabwe.
Afghanistan innings: over by over
Afghanistan faced 37 dot balls (31%), hit 12 fours and 19 sixes, and got 7 extras. The best stand was 142 off 59 balls between Azmatullah Omarzai & Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai. Between overs 0.2 and 3.2 they slipped from 0/0 to 4/4.
Fall of wickets: 0-1 (Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 0.2), 1-2 (Mohammad Akram Zazai, 0.4), 4-3 (Ibrahim Zadran, 3.1), 4-4 (Shahidullah Kamal, 3.2), 37-5 (Sediqullah Atal, 8.1), 179-6 (Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai, 17.6), 194-7 (Azmatullah Omarzai, 18.5)
Zimbabwe innings: over by over
Zimbabwe faced 34 dot balls (28%), hit 10 fours and 14 sixes, and got 8 extras. The best stand was 119 off 60 balls between Sikandar Raza & Wesley Madhevere (unbroken).
Fall of wickets: 39-1 (Innocent Kaia, 3.3), 58-2 (Brian Bennett, 5.5), 64-3 (Ryan Burl, 7.1), 68-4 (Tadiwanashe Marumani, 8.3), 81-5 (Wesley Madhevere, 9.6)
Our view
Afghanistan's innings looked in serious trouble after the team lost four wickets for just four runs. However, Azmatullah Omarzai turned the game around with a sensational 116 off 50 balls. Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai provided excellent support with 52 off 27 balls, and their 142-run partnership gave Afghanistan the platform to reach 221/7. The 27-run over off Brad Evans was another major turning point, putting Zimbabwe's bowlers under tremendous pressure.
Zimbabwe responded with an aggressive start, but early wickets made the chase difficult. Sikandar Raza kept the contest alive with a brilliant 106 off 56 balls, sharing an unbeaten 119-run partnership with Wesley Madhevere. Despite their efforts, Zimbabwe finished on 202/5, falling 19 runs short. Afghanistan's ability to recover from a disastrous start and build a massive total proved decisive. Omarzai's explosive century ultimately became the defining performance of the match.
Top performers
- Azmatullah Omarzai — 116 (50 balls)
- Sikandar Raza — 106 (56 balls)
- Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai — 52 (27 balls)
- Abdullah Ahmadzai — 2/34 (4 ov)
- Brad Evans — 2/40 (4 ov)
- Kundai Matigimu — 2/48 (4 ov)
Full scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary: Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe
