Afghanistan Rashid Khan celebrated a historic win in Bulawayo with a brilliant seven-wicket haul in the second innings to help them win by 72 runs Zimbabwe during the second Test at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. The victory ensured a 1-0 series victory and marked a major achievement for Afghanistan in their Test journey in international cricket.
Rashid Khan's magic spell
Last day of testing seen Rashid A bowling masterclass was put on that left Zimbabwe’s batting line-up in tatters. Zimbabwe started the day at 205/8 and needed a huge effort to achieve the target, but their hopes were quickly dashed. Rashid batted in the second over, bowling Richard Ngarava with a sharp delivery and ended the innings with figures of 7/66 soon after. His relentless accuracy and spin were too much for the hosts, cementing his reputation as one of world cricket's top spinners.
Afghanistan's second innings in full swing
Afghanistan laid the foundation for victory with a superb batting performance in the second innings. Rahmat Shah and Ismat Alam led the way with scores of 139 and 101 respectively. Their contribution brings the total number of Afghan donations to a staggering 363, giving them a vital advantage.
Zimbabwe were powerless as they chased a 278-run victory, with captain Craig Ervine the only half-centurion. The home team failed to achieve the set goal Rashid and Zia-ur-Rehman (2/44) combined to restrict Zimbabwe to 205.
Afghanistan's landmark moment
This series win is testament to Afghanistan's growing stature in Test cricket. Rashid's winning performance not only highlighted his skills but also Afghanistan's potential to compete at the highest level.
Congratulations to Afghanistan bowling for their great achievement @rashidkhan_19 and great batting @RahmatShah_08 and @IsmatAlam pic.twitter.com/qMUXr666m4
— Mohammad Nabi (@MohammadNabi007) January 6, 2025
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His 11-wicket figures throughout the match (7/66 in the second innings and 4/94 in the first) played a key role in turning the game in Afghanistan's favour.
𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 – 𝐞𝐚@rashidkhan_19 (25, 4/94, 23 & 7/66) Made an incredible contribution in the second Test match against Zimbabwe, earning a well-deserved Man of the Match award. 🤩🏅#AfghanistanAttaran | #ZIMvAFG |… pic.twitter.com/QjVNabM8YT
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) January 6, 2025
Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi praised the team's collective effort. “First of all, congratulations to the whole team, very happy with our performance. It's great to come back after a difficult first day, but it will make us mentally stronger. Rahmat, Isma The performances by Te and Rashid are outstanding. he said in his post-match speech.
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