Zimbabwe and Afghanistan’s Test in Bulawayo ended in a draw after an exciting, rain-affected final day. Afghanistan had posted a massive total of 699, with Hashmatullah Shahidi scoring a career-best 246 and Rahmat Shah adding 234. Zimbabwe responded with 142 for 4 in their second innings, after Afghanistan had taken a 113-run first-innings lead.
Zimbabwe’s day started with a collapse of 4 for 15 in their second innings, leaving them 25 runs behind. However, Sean Williams (35*) and Craig Ervine (54*) steadied the ship, erasing the deficit and ensuring no further damage. The match inevitably ended in a draw, but not without significant individual contributions.
Afghanistan’s impressive total was built on Shahidi’s record-breaking knock and Afsar Zazai’s maiden Test hundred. Despite losing 6 for 20 in their final push for quick runs, they managed to reach 699, their highest ever in Test cricket.
Zimbabwe’s spinners, Brian Bennett and Williams, provided some hope on a lifeless pitch, with Bennett claiming five wickets in the Afghanistan innings, including a key lbw against Shahidi. He also scored 110* in Zimbabwe’s first innings.
In Zimbabwe’s second innings, Ben Curran led an aggressive response, scoring 41 before Afghanistan ran him out. However, the rain break disrupted momentum, and after resuming play, Zahir Khan and Ghazanfar Ahmad took wickets, leaving Zimbabwe at 88 for 4. Williams and Ervine then added 54 runs, ensuring the game ended in a draw, with the two-match series still level at 0-0.
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