Wide of the crease and thumping it on a shorter length, angling down leg, pulls it fine
Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan, Only Test at Harare, ZIM vs AFG, Oct 20 2025 - Ball by Ball Commentary
Stumps • Starts 8:00 AM
Only Test, Harare, October 20 - 24, 2025, Afghanistan tour of Zimbabwe
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ZIM 1st Innings
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end of over 385 runs
ZIM: 130/2CRR: 3.42Â
Ben Curran52 (110b 5x4)
Brendan Taylor18 (21b 3x4)
Ziaur Rahman 13-2-35-2
Sharafuddin Ashraf 3-0-14-0
17:10: It was an action-packed day, something usually reserved for the final few days, but not in this Test. A sudden decision to call stumps as the light deteriorated, even though Hashmat wanted to continue with spin, and he looked far from pleased with the umpires' call. It's been Zimbabwe's day -- wickets galore! Afghanistan collapsed like a house of cards and are still reeling from that panic-stricken hour or so, folding for just 127 which is not good at all. Sharifi was the pick of the bowlers, bowling with unerring accuracy, while the others were a bit loose and couldn't build sustained pressure in the last hour or so. Plenty of edges also flew past the slip cordon. Afghanistan did manage to keep things tight in the post-lunch session, but the openers were equal to the task. The lack of experience in the visitors' lineup is clearly hurting them. At stumps, Zimbabwe would be mighty pleased with how things have panned out and have a grip on this game. Do check out Abhimanyu's day report shortly, and we'll look forward to your company tomorrow!
37.6
1
Ziaur Rahman to Ben Curran, 1 run
37.5
1
Ziaur Rahman to Taylor, 1 run
Fires it in back of a length on off, presses it gently to mid-off and is off for a quick single
37.4
1
Ziaur Rahman to Ben Curran, 1 run
Digs it in short around leg, easy pickings, back-foot controlled pull behind square and gallops across to the other end
37.3
1
Ziaur Rahman to Taylor, 1 run
Shorter in length and not much juice in the pitch now, off-stump line, worked off the backfoot towards backward square
37.2
•
Ziaur Rahman to Taylor, no run
Intimidating bumper on middle, he is happy to duck underneath it
37.1
1
Ziaur Rahman to Ben Curran, 1 run
Around the wicket, hitting the deck hard but the line goes a little awry, he tugs it to deep fine and brings up his second half-century. It's been a solid innings, hardly any loose shots, great balance between defense and has put the bad balls away, magnificent innings and he would dearly like to convert it into a big score
end of over 374 runs
ZIM: 125/2CRR: 3.37Â
Ben Curran49 (107b 5x4)
Brendan Taylor16 (18b 3x4)
Sharafuddin Ashraf 3-0-14-0
Ziaur Rahman 12-2-30-2
36.6
1
Sharafuddin to Ben Curran, 1 run
drags it shorter and outside off, steered out into the off side
36.5
1
Sharafuddin to Taylor, 1 run
On a length around off, drives it out to cover
36.4
•
Sharafuddin to Taylor, no run
Around the wicket, back of a length and turning across off, he stabs it away to cover
36.3
1
Sharafuddin to Ben Curran, 1 run
Tosses it up on middle, flicked to midwicket using his fluid wrists
36.2
1
Sharafuddin to Taylor, 1 run
Lobbed up and slides it across off, accounts for the turn and taps it away to cover
36.1
•
Sharafuddin to Taylor, no run
Slip in place. Around the wicket, looped up on middle and off, gets forward to defend
end of over 365 runs
ZIM: 121/2CRR: 3.36Â
Ben Curran47 (105b 5x4)
Brendan Taylor14 (14b 3x4)
Ziaur Rahman 12-2-30-2
Sharafuddin Ashraf 2-0-10-0
35.6
•
Ziaur Rahman to Ben Curran, no run
Wide of the crease, on a length and wide outside off, bonks it towards mid-off
35.5
•
Ziaur Rahman to Ben Curran, no run
Around the wicket, shorter in length and makes it jag in a touch, he is compact and organised, reads the line quickly and blocks it back towards the bowler
35.4
1
Ziaur Rahman to Taylor, 1 run
Hits the deck hard on middle, shuffles across and clonks it to mid-on
Shantanu: "Can ne1 plz shed light on why atal isn't playing today?"
35.3
4
Ziaur Rahman to Taylor, FOUR runs
Darts in a bumper on fifth stump line but it doesn't kick off fiercely off the deck and he plays a deft upper-cut, clearing slip cordon with precision and accuracy, very adroit and nifty
35.2
•
Ziaur Rahman to Taylor, no run
Hits the shortish length on middle, leasn forward and parries it behind point, idea is to be careful and not lose wickets, open an end again
35.1
•
Ziaur Rahman to Taylor, no run
Over the wicket, bit short and slanted down the leg side, lets it go
end of over 356 runs
ZIM: 116/2CRR: 3.31Â
Brendan Taylor9 (10b 2x4)
Ben Curran47 (103b 5x4)
Sharafuddin Ashraf 2-0-10-0
Ziaur Rahman 11-2-25-2
34.6
1
Sharafuddin to Taylor, 1 run
Fuller on middle and leg, closes the face of the bat and nuzzles it square midwicket
34.5
•
Sharafuddin to Taylor, no run
Tossed up really slow on middle, drives it through the line
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