Rashid Khan spins Afghanistan to Test series victory in Bulawayo

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Afghanistan celebrated a historic triumph in Bulawayo as Rashid Khan’s spectacular seven-wicket haul in the second innings powered them to a commanding 72-run win over Zimbabwe in the second Test at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo. This victory secured a 1-0 series win, marking a significant achievement in Afghanistan’s journey in international Test cricket.

Rashid Khan’s magical spell

The final day of the Test saw Rashid deliver a bowling masterclass that left the Zimbabwean batting lineup in tatters. Starting the day at 205/8 and needing a mammoth effort to reach their target, Zimbabwe’s hopes were quickly dashed. Rashid struck in the second over, removing Richard Ngarava with a sharp delivery, and wrapped up the innings shortly after, finishing with figures of 7/66. His relentless accuracy and turn proved too much for the hosts, cementing his reputation as one of the premier spinners in world cricket.

Afghanistan’s all-round performance in the second innings

Afghanistan set the stage for their victory with a commanding batting display in their second innings. Rahmat Shah and Ismat Alam led the charge with exceptional centuries, scoring 139 and 101, respectively. Their contributions propelled Afghanistan to a formidable total of 363, giving them a crucial upper hand.

Chasing 278 for victory, Zimbabwe couldn’t put a fight, with skipper Craig Ervine only being the only half-centurion. The home team fell short of reaching the set target as Rashid and Zia-ur-Rehman (2/44) combined to restrict Zimbabwe to 205.

A landmark moment for Afghanistan

This series win is a testament to Afghanistan’s growing stature in Test cricket. Rashid’s match-winning performance not only highlighted his skills but also underscored Afghanistan’s potential to compete at the highest level.

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His figures of 11 wickets across the match (7/66 in the second innings and 4/94 in the first) played a pivotal role in turning the game in Afghanistan’s favour.

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi praised the team’s collective effort. “First of all, congrats to the entire team, very happy with the way we performed. Coming back after a difficult first day was excellent, but mentally this will make us a lot more stronger. Performances from Rahmat, Ismat and Rashid were outstanding,” he said during the post-match presentation.

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