Williams half-century bolsters Zimbabwe on a day for the bowlers

SCORECARD

Captain Sean Williams’ half-century was a big reason for Zimbabwe’s strong standing at the end of the day, given how well the bowlers had acquitted themselves at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium stadium on Tuesday, 2 March.

Blessing Muzarabani and Victor Nyauchi ensured Afghanistan, who had opted to bat, had a difficult time of it when they combined for seven wickets to bowl the hosts out for 131 in 47 overs.

Afghanistan’s left-arm spinner Amir Hamza then hit back at Zimbabwe, taking 4/61 to dismantle the top order, before Williams and Sikandar Raza put on a solid fifty partnership to revive the innings.

The morning belonged to the Zimbabwe pacers. Muzarabani and Nyauchi bowled fast and tight lines to make life tough for the Afghanistan top order, and the tone was set within the first three overs. Muzarabani had Abdul Malik – one of three Afghanistan debutants – cleaned up with the very first delivery of the day.

In his next over, he forced the edge from Rahmat Shah (6) and Afghanistan were 8/2. Munir Ahmad hung around offering Ibrahim Zadran some company but managed just a 23-ball 12 before becoming Nyauchi’s first wicket. Zadran himself fell three overs later, for a 41-ball 31.

When Hashmatullah Shahidi then had two of his stumps knocked back by a ripping Nyauchi yorker, Afghanistan’s troubles were underlined at 69/5.

It was an exercise in damage limitation thereafter. Afsar Zazai scored a resolute 70-ball 37 to boost the scorecard, while captain Asghar Afghan (13) and Amir Hamza (16*) scored valuable runs to take the total past the 100-mark.

However, it didn’t take long for the Zimbabwe pacers to run through the line-up, and Afghanistan were all out by tea.

It was Zimbabwe’s turn to face the heat in the final session. And this time, it was all spin, with Hamza foxing four of Zimbabwe’s top five batsmen, three of them within the first 15 overs. Zimbabwe lost their first wicket, Kevin Kasuza within four balls of their innings when Yamin Ahmadzai cleaned him up for nought.

Hamza then took over, finding the gap between bat and pad to snuff out Tarisai Musakanda (7). Opener Prince Masvaure was the next to fall, six overs later, and when the young Wesley Madhevere fell first ball to Hamza, Zimbabwe seemed to be in as much trouble as Afghanistan were in the morning, at 38/4.

However, experienced campaigners Williams and Raza helped negotiate Zimbabwe out of the tricky spot. They very gritty as they blunted the Afghanistan spinners, and gradually had the runs flowing again. Afghanistan were soon chasing leather all over the park, as the duo took their partnership past the 50-run mark.

Unfortunately for Zimbabwe, Raza became Hamza’s fourth wicket late in the day after he went hard at a delivery, and gifted a catch after miscueing it. Williams saw Zimbabwe through till stumps, and the visitors claimed the lead late on.

They will hope to add a lot more to the total on the second day.