Afghanistan celebrated a historic triumph in Bulawayo as Rashid Khan’s spectacular seven-wicket haul in the second innings saw them to a convincing 72-run victory 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.
The magical spell of Rashid Khan
On the final day of the Test, Rashid Khan delivered a bowling masterclass that left the Zimbabwean batting line-up in pieces. Starting the day on 205/8 and needing a huge effort to reach their target, Zimbabwe’s hopes were quickly dashed. Rashid struck in the second over, removing Richard Ngarava with a sharp shot, and closed the innings shortly after, finishing with figures of 7/66. His relentless accuracy and spin proved too much for the hosts, cementing his reputation as one of the best spinners in world cricket.
Afghanistan’s all-round performance in the second innings
Afghanistan set the stage for their victory with an impressive knock in the second innings. Rahmat Shah and Ismat Alam led the attack with exceptional centuries, scoring 139 and 101 respectively. Their contributions pushed Afghanistan to a formidable total of 363, giving them a crucial lead.
Chasing 278 to win, Zimbabwe could not fight back as captain Craig Ervine was the only half-centurion. The home side fell 72 runs short of the target as Rashid and Zia-ur-Rehman (2/44) combined to restrict Zimbabwe to 2025.
A significant moment for Afghanistan
This series win is a testament to Afghanistan’s rising status in Test cricket. Rashid’s match-winning performance not only highlighted his skills but also highlighted Afghanistan’s potential to compete at the highest level.
Congratulations Afghanistan, great bowling @rashidkhan_19 and Great batting by @RahmatShah_08 and @IsmatAlam pic.twitter.com/qMUXr666m4
— Mohammad Nabi (@MohammadNabi007) January 6, 2025
His tally of 11 wickets during the match (7/66 in the second innings and 4/94 in the first) played a key role in turning the match in Afghanistan’s favour.
𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐭 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐭𝐭𝐡 – 𝐀𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐧𝐡𝐧𝐧 🤩@rashidkhan_19 (25, 4/94, 23 and 7/66) won a well-deserved man of the match award for his incredible contribution in the second test match against Zimbabwe. 🤩🏅#afghan atalan | #WINvAFG |… pic.twitter.com/QjVNabM8YT
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) January 6, 2025
Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi praised the team’s collective efforts. “First of all, congratulations to the whole team, we are very happy with the way we played. Coming back after a difficult first day was great, but mentally it will make us much stronger. The performances of Rahmat, Ismat and Rashid were outstanding,” he said during the postgame presentation.
