(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) A five-wicket haul by Mujeeb ur Rehman and half centuries from Mohammad Shahzad and Ihsanullah enabled Afghanistan power their way past Zimbabwe by 10 wickets and 173 balls to spare and clinch the ODI series with a match to spare.
At the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday, Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat. They needed to win to keep the series alive but barring Brandon Taylor and Craig Ervine's the other batsmen struggled against off-spinner Mujeeb ur Rehman who finished with figures of 10-0-50-5.
Taylor took 29 balls for his 30 which came from a four and two sixes while Ervine remained unbeaten on 54 from 73 balls which consisted a six and six boundaries.
A target of 135 was never going to be difficult and Afghanistan went about their task without much fuss. Openers Mohammad Shahzad and Ihsanullah put the Zimbabwe attack to the sword and finished the match in 21.1 overs. Shahzad returned unbeaten on 75 from 74 balls with 10 fours and three sixes, while Ihsanullah's unbeaten 51 was studded with six hits to the ropes and two above it.
Easy for Afghans
Zimbabwe
S Mire b Mujeeb 9
H Masakadza b Mujeeb 4
T Musakanda c & b Nabi 9
B Taylor c Ihsanullah b Ashraf 30
C Ervine not out 54
S Raza lbw Rashid Khan 4
R Burl c & b Nabi 10
G Cremer c Ihsanullah b Mujeeb 2
K Jarvis b Mujeeb 0
T Chatara c Ihsanullah b Rashid Khan 4
B Muzarabani b Mujeeb 0
Extras: (1lb, 7w) 8
Total: (all out in 38 overs) 134
Fall: 1-14, 2-15, 3-54, 4-66, 5-74, 6-88, 7-98, 8-98, 9-103, 10-134.
Bowling: Dawlat Zadran 7-2-22-0, Mujeeb ur Rehman 10-0-50-5 (2w), Sharafuddin Ashraf 4-0-15-1, Mohammad Nabi 7-1-18-2, Rashid Khan 10-2-28-2 (1w)
Afghanistan
M Shahzad not out 75
Ihsanullah not out 51
Extras: (2lb, 7w) 9
Total: (for no loss in 21.1 overs) 135
Bowling: Kyle Jarvis 3-0-23-0 (3w), Tendai Chatara 4-0-27-0, Graeme Cremer 8-1-38-0 (1w), Blessing Muzarabani 4-0-25-0 (3w), Ryan Burl 2.1-0-20-0.
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