Rahmat Shah‘s masterful century anchored Afghanistan’s innings and turned the tide decisively in their favor on Day 3 of the ongoing Test match against Zimbabwe. Beginning the day in a precarious position at 46/3, Afghanistan faced immense pressure from a disciplined Zimbabwean bowling attack. However, Rahmat displayed extraordinary composure and technical prowess, navigating the challenge?s with r??emarkable precision.

His unbeaten innings of 139 runs was not just a personal milestone but a testament to his ability to deliver under pressure. Supported by crucial partnerships, Rahmat ensured that Afghanistan transformed a shaky start into a commanding lead. Despite moments of brilliance with the ball, Zimbabwe failed to sustain their momentum as Afghanistan’s batters consolidated through the day. By stumps, Afghanistan had tightened their? grip on the match with a lead of 205 runs, leaving Zimbabwe with a daunting task in the final innings.

Day 3 begins with Afghanistan on the back foot

The third day began with Afghanistan on the back foot, precariously placed at 46/3 and trailing Zimbabwe’s first-innings score. Zimbabwe’s pace attack, led by Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava, continued to extract movement from the surface, making life difficult for the Afghan batters in the morning session. The duo bowled with discipline, forcing Afghanistan to adopt a cautious approach to avoid further setbacks. Shahidullah partnered with Ra?hmat to steady the innings, carefully considering the early threat.

However, Zimbabwe’s persistence paid off when Shahidullah fell to Muzarabani, caught by Takudzwanashe Kaitano. At 69/5, Afghanistan was in a fragile position, but Rahmat’s determination became evident as he began to rebuild the innings ??with a calculated shot selection. By lunch, Afghanistan had reached 125/5, thanks to Rahmat’s unyielding focus, providing a glimmer of hope for a recovery.

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Rahmat Shah’s century anchors Afghanistan

Rahmat was the cornerstone of Afghanistan’s resurgence, playing an innings that will be remembered for its sheer grit and elegance. Facing relentless pressure from Zimbabwe’s bowlers, Rahmat initially adopted a defensive approach, ensuring no further wickets fell during his time at the crease. His partnership with Ismat Alam proved crucia??l as the duo added 132 runs for the eight wick??et, stabilizing the innings and frustrating the opposition.

Rahmat’s shot selection was impeccable; he balanced solid defense with calculated aggression, punishing anything overpitched or w??ide. His century was a moment of pure class, reached with a stylish flick to square leg, bringing the entire Afghan dressing room to its feet in applause. The knock, spanning nearly five hours and featuring 14 boundaries, epitomized resilience and showcased his ability to adapt to the demands of Test cricket. Even after reaching the milestone, Rahmat continued to accumulate runs, ensuring Afghanistan moved into a position of strength.

Zimbabwe’s bowling falters in the final session

As the day wore on, Zimbabwe’s bowlers seemed to lose their earlier discipline and intensity, allowing Afghanistan to capitalize in the final session. Although Rahmat fell late in the day to Muzarabani, his dismissal did little to halt Afghanistan’s progress. The lower middle order, led by Rashid Khan and Alam, contributed vital runs, frust??rating Zimbabwe further??. Alam, in particular, counter-attacked effectively, finding boundaries with ease and ensuring the scoreboard continued to tick over.

Zimbabwe had moments of success, with Muzarabani claiming key wickets and Ngarava keeping things tight, but they lacked the consistency required to bundle out Afghanistan cheaply. By the time stumps were called due to rain, Afghanistan had amassed 291/7, securing a significant lead that placed them firmly in control. With the pitch beginning to show signs of wear and tear, Zimbabwe now faces an uphill battle to save the match, wit??h their batters needing to neg?otiate a challenging Day 4 against a spirited Afghan bowling attack.

Rain has enforced early stum?ps on day 3 in Bulawayo as AfghanAtalan reached 291/7, leading by 205 runs.

Tomorrow morning, play will begin 30 minutes earlier at 12:00 PM (AFT). 👍#AfghanAtalan | #ZIMvAFG | #GloriousNationVictoriousTeam pic.twitter.com/aeNwpZWVtt

— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) January 4, 2025

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The second Test between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan at Bulawayo began with Zimbabwe asserting dominance on a day filled with bowling brilliance. After electing to field first, Zimbabwe’s bowlers exploited the conditions perfectly, bundling Afghanistan out for a below-par 157 on Day 1. The visiting batters struggled to find rhythm, with none managing a score beyond 25. Tight lines and relentless pressure ensured wickets fell at regular intervals, leaving Afghanistan reeling. Zimbabwe’s openers then safely navigated the tricky final three overs, reaching 6/0 at stumps and trailing by 151 runs.

Zimbabwe’s bowlers led by Sikandar Raza dominate Afghanistan

The Zimbabwean bowling attack delivered a masterclass in discipline and execution. Richard Ngarava was unplayable with figures of 1/18 in 12 overs, suffocating the Afghan batters with his precision. Blessing Muzarabani provided crucial breakthroughs, claiming 2/56, including the key scalp of Shahidullah. Sikandar Raza’s off-spin (3/30) was the standout, dismantling Afghanistan’s middle order with turn and subtle variations. Newman Nyamhuri (3/42) shone in the later stages, expertly cleaning up the tail. The collective effort restricted Afghanistan to a mere 157, as Zimbabwe’s bowlers worked ??in tandem to exploit every lapse in concentration from the opposition.

Afghanistan’s batting woes continue

Afghanistan’s innings was marred by an inability to build meaningful partnerships. Openers Abdul Malik (17) and Riaz Hassan (12) made starts but couldn’t convert them, while Rahmat Shah (19) and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (13) fell to soft dismissals. Afsar Zazai and Shahidullah tried to stabilize the innings with brief contributions, but none could withstand Zimbabwe’s relentless attack. Rashid Khan’s cou?nterattacking 25 off 20 balls provided a late spark, but it wasn’t enough to rescue the innings. Frequent collapses and lack of application underlined Afghanistan’s struggles as they were bowled out in just 44.3 overs, squandering any chance of a competitive total.

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Zimbabwe’s steady start in reply

Zimbabwe’s openers, Joylord Gumbie (4 not out) and Ben Curran (1 not out), showed composure under the fading light, ensuring no early setbacks in their reply. Facing three probing overs from Afghanistan’s bowlers, they carefully negotiated deliveries from Rashid, Fareed Ahmad and Yamin Ahmadzai. Though runs came slowly, the duo’s focus was on preserving wickets. Zimbabwe’s batting depth, with experienced campaigners like Craig Ervine and Sikandar Raza waiti??ng in the wings, sets them up for a dominant position on Day 2. The hosts will look to capitalize on this solid start and pile on the runs to take full ??control of the match.

Brilliant bowling display by Zimbabwe as they bowl out Afghanistan for 157 on Day 1 of the inaugural New Year’s Test.#ZIMvAFG #VisitZimbabwe 📝//t.co/HdHfDCXyud pic.twitter.com/JqxnzfFVKr

— Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) January 2, 2025

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