Rahmat Shah’s tough century puts Afghanistan in control of Zimbabwe on day three of the second Test
Rahmat Shah‘s masterly century anchored Afghanistaninnings and decisively turned the tide in their favor on day 3 of the ongoing test match against Zimbabwe. Starting the day in a precarious position at 46/3, Afghanistan faced immense pressure from a disciplined Zimbabwe bowling attack. However, Rahmat showed incredible composure and technical prowess, managing the challenges with incredible precision.
His unbeaten run of 139 runs was not only a personal milestone but a testament to his ability to deliver under pressure. Aided by key partnerships, Rahmat ensured that Afghanistan transformed a shaky start into commanding leadership. Despite moments of brilliance with the ball, Zimbabwe failed to sustain their momentum as Afghanistan’s batsmen consolidated throughout the day. With difficulty, Afghanistan tightened their grip on the match with a lead of 205 runs, leaving Zimbabwe with a daunting task in the final innings.
Day three began with Afghanistan on the back foot, precariously placed at 46/3 and trailing Zimbabwe in the first innings. Zimbabwe’s fast attack, led Blessings to Muzarabani and Richard Ngaravahe continued to extract movement from the surface, making life difficult for the Afghan batsmen in the morning session. The duo played with discipline, forcing Afghanistan to take a cautious approach to avoid further setbacks. Shahidullah He teamed up with Rahmat to stabilize 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 were in a fragile position, but Rahmat’s determination became evident as he began to rebuild the innings with calculated shot selection. By lunch, Afghanistan had reached 125/5, thanks to Rahmat’s unyielding focus, offering a glimmer of hope for a recovery.
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Rahmat Shah’s century anchored Afghanistan
Rahmat was the cornerstone of Afghanistan’s resurgence, playing an innings that will be remembered for sheer determination and elegance. Facing relentless pressure from the Zimbabwean bowlers, Rahmat initially adopted a defensive approach, ensuring that no other wickets fell during his time at the crease. His partnership with Ismat Alam proved crucial as the duo added 132 runs for eight wickets, stabilizing the innings and frustrating the opposition.
Rahmat’s shot selection was impeccable; he balanced solid defense with calculated aggression, punishing anything excessive or wide. His century was a moment of pure class, achieved with a stylish leg movement, bringing the entire Afghanistan dressing room to its feet in applause. The knock, which lasted almost five hours and featured 14 boundaries, epitomized resilience and showed his ability to adapt to the demands of Test cricket. Even after reaching the milestone, Rahmat continued to pile on the runs, ensuring that Afghanistan moved into a position of strength.
Zimbabwe’s bowling faltered in the last session
As the day wore on, Zimbabwe’s bowlers seemed to lose their earlier discipline and intensity, allowing Afghanistan to capitalize on the last run. Although Rahmat fell to Muzarabani late in the day, his removal did little to halt Afghanistan’s progress. Lower middle row, headed by Rashid Khan and Alam, contributed vital runs, further frustrating Zimbabwe. Alam counter-attacked particularly effectively, finding boundaries with ease and ensuring the scoreboard kept changing.
Zimbabwe had moments of success, with Muzarabani claiming key wickets and Ngarava keeping things tight, but they lacked the consistency needed to rally Afghanistan cheaply. By the time the stumps are called for rain, Afghanistan mustered 291/7providing significant leadership that put them in firm control. With the pitch beginning to show signs of wear and tear, Zimbabwe now face an uphill battle to save the match, with their batsmen having to negotiate a challenging Day 4 against a brisk Afghanistan bowling attack.
Rain caused early thorns on day three in Bulawayo as AfghanAtalan reached 291/7, leading by 205 runs.
Tomorrow morning the game will start 30 minutes earlier at 12:00 (AFT). 👍#Afghan Atalan | #WINvAFG | #GloriousNationVictoriousTeam pic.twitter.com/aeNwpZWVtt
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) January 4, 2025
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