Afghanistan 157 (Rashid 25, Raza 3-30, Nyamhuri 3-42) and 363 (Rahmat 139, Alam 101, Muzarabani 6-95) ont batted. Zimbabwe 243 (Ervine 75, Raza 61, Rashid 4-94) and 205 (Ervine 53, Rashid 7-66, Zia 2-44) by 72 runs
It must have been Rashid Khan. Having played in each of Afghanistan’s three previous Test victories – in Dehradun, Chattogram and Abu Dhabi – he finished Zimbabwe with a score of 11 for 160 in Bulawayo. This included career-best figures of 7 for 66 in the second innings, with expectations of a thrilling finish dashed just 15 deliveries into the final morning. Zimbabwe were 73 runs from victory, with all the hopes of their captain Craig Ervine. Afghanistan needed two good balls to finish the match.
But even the short duration of play on the fifth day was enough to create plenty of drama. The day started with exactly what Afghanistan wanted: Rashid bowling to Zimbabwe’s number 10, Richard Ngarava. Four balls in play, Afghanistan got exactly what they wanted – almost. Ngarava attempted a slice attempt on Rashid, and the ball appeared behind the man at a silly moment. Hashmatullah Shahidi, taking cover, moved to his right. Fareed Ahmad, at this point, moved towards his left.
With his attention divided between the diving ball and Fareed’s approach, Shahidi dropped Ngarava. Rashid couldn’t suppress an angry expression towards his captain, who had held out both hands, but the ball never stuck. Ngarava survived, but for almost no longer.
Ngarava bowled the remaining two deliveries to ensure Ervine had the strike for the next one. Going off his score of 53 overnight and being the last recognized batter, he had a large field to play with. After turning down two singles, Ervine decided he should go for the third. He led Yamin Ahmadzai into extra, deep cover, where the man was only placed about three-quarters of the way to the boundary.
Shahidullah collected the ball while chasing it and bowled a flat toss at the wicketkeeper. Perhaps not expecting Ervine to get into the race so early, Ngarava was late to take off. But Ervine was already well advanced on the field by then, and wicketkeeper Afsar Zazai removed the bails when Ngarava was a few miles away from him.
Last man Blessing Muzarabani defended the next two deliveries and left the third one alone. Ervine scored again for the next round, with Zimbabwe yet to add to their overnight score. Rashid was short for the first two balls, but threw much harder the third time. The ball landed just outside, spun around and hit Ervine in front as he missed a sweep attempt.
Rashid and his teammates immediately went up, even as referee Ahsan Raza’s finger took its time to appear. But it ultimately did, even if the first impression was of leg stump missing from the ball. However, there was no DRS to turn to, leaving the Afghan players to jump and celebrate.
It was a come-from-behind victory shaped by centuries from Rahmat Shah and debutant Ismat Alam in the second innings, which Afghanistan started 86 runs behind. Not to be left behind with the bat, Rashid even contributed in what turned out to be crucial innings of 25 and 23.
As a result, Afghanistan won the two-match series 1–0 after a draw in the first Test, and left Zimbabwe with a series victory in each of the three formats.
