Azmatullah Omarzai scored his maiden T20 International century to guide Afghanistan to a 20-run victory over Zimbabwe in the second T20I at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, securing a 2-0 lead in the three-match series with one match remaining.
Afghanistan recovered from a difficult start to post 221-7 in their 20 overs after losing five wickets for just 38 runs.
Omarzai led the recovery with a stunning 116 off 50 deliveries, striking five fours and 12 sixes. Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai provided crucial support with 52 off 27 balls.
Omarzai and Ijaz Set Sixth-Wicket Partnership Record
The pair shared a record-breaking sixth-wicket partnership of 142 runs from just 59 balls, the highest sixth-wicket stand in men’s T20 internationals.
Their partnership transformed Afghanistan’s innings after Zimbabwe’s bowlers had dominated the powerplay and reduced the hosts to 38-5.
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Rashid Khan added further momentum with an unbeaten 25 off just six deliveries, helping Afghanistan cross the 220-run mark.
Raza’s Century Falls Short as Zimbabwe Finish on 202
Zimbabwe began their chase of 222 positively, reaching 59-2 during the powerplay. However, Afghanistan’s bowlers struck at regular intervals, leaving the visitors at 82-5 after 10 overs.
Captain Sikandar Raza kept Zimbabwe’s hopes alive with an unbeaten 106 from 56 balls, hitting five fours and nine sixes.
Tafadzwa Tsiga contributed an unbeaten 31 off 23 deliveries, but the pair could not take Zimbabwe across the finishing line. The visitors ended their innings at 202-5, 20 runs short of the target.
Abdollah Ahmadzai took two wickets for 34 runs in four overs, while Omarzai claimed one wicket to complete an outstanding all-round performance.
Rashid Khan Reaches Historic 200-Wicket Milestone
The match also marked a major milestone for Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan, who became the first bowler to take 200 wickets in men’s T20 internationals.
Rashid finished with figures of 1-29 from his four overs, adding a historic achievement to Afghanistan’s victory.
Omarzai was named Player of the Match for his match-winning century.
Captains Praise Performances After the Match
Speaking after the game, Omarzai said Afghanistan had faced significant pressure after losing early wickets. He revealed that he had encouraged Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai to remain calm and continue batting positively.
Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran praised the pair for rebuilding the innings, saying their performance demonstrated the team’s ability to recover from difficult situations.
Despite scoring a century, Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza expressed disappointment with his team’s first-innings performance and said he would address what he described as complacency. He also thanked Zimbabwe’s supporters for their continued backing.
Afghanistan Extend Winning Run Against Zimbabwe
The victory extended Afghanistan’s winning streak against Zimbabwe to seven consecutive matches.
Afghanistan have now won 21 of their 23 meetings with Zimbabwe and secured their eighth consecutive T20I series victory against the side.
The match also produced a new record for the highest aggregate of runs in a T20 international at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
