Clinical Afghanistan see off Zimbabwe

Afghanistan have defeated Zimbabwe by 28 runs in the second match of the 'OBHAI Tri-nation T20 series'. 

Batting first, Afghanistan scored 197-5, thanks to the late flourish from Najibullah Zadran and Mohammad Nabi. In reply, Zimbabwe were never in the game as they ended up 28 runs short. 

Zimbabwe skipper Hamilton Masakadza won the toss and elected to bowl first. Zimbabwe had two changes in their lineup as Regis Chakabva and Ainsley Ndlovu came in for Timycen Maruma and Richmond Mutumbami.

The Afghans had a very good start as Rahmanullah, accompanied by Hazratullah Zazai, wreaked havoc on the Zimbabwean bowlers. Their opening stand was broken by Tendai Chatara as Zazai went back for 13. 

Rahmanullah went back soon as Sean Williams trapped him LBW on 43. The batsman reviewed but the decision was upheld as hawk-eye showed that the ball was clipping the leg stump. 

As the Zimbabwean bowlers put on pressure, the Afghan run-rate dropped and in the 12th over, Sean Williams sent back Najib Tarakai on 14. 

Asghar Afghan didn't last long as he was caught at the boundary by Ryan Burl off debutant Ainsley Ndlovu on 14. 

Mohammad Nabi and Najibullah Zadran steadied the ship and then started to wreak havoc on the bowlers. Mohammad Nabi hit four sixes in four deliveries in the 17th over, before Najibullah hit three in a row in the very next over. Najibullah brought up his fifty off only 22 deliveries and continued on his merry way. 

Their stand of 107 runs off just 41 deliveries on the last ball of their innings as Mohammad Nabi holed out to long-on on 38. 

Najibullah top-scored with 69 off 30 deliveries as Afghanistan ended on 197-5, with 88 runs coming from the last five overs. 

Sean Williams and Tendai Chatara picked up two wickets each and the other was picked by Ndlovu. 

Chasing 198, Zimbabwe started well before skipper Hamilton Masakadza was run out by Rahmanullah. Taylor followed soon as he was sent back by Farid Malik on 27. 

Sean Williams went back only a couple of deliveries later, gifting Malik his second wicket of the match. 

Craig Ervine was given out off Karim Janat, but hawk-eye showed that the ball had marginally pitched outside leg stump. Ervine didn't opt for the review, and the decision stood. 

Ryan Burl was given out off Rashid Khan but hawk-eye suggested that the ball pitched outside leg stump, which overturned the decision after the batsman reviewed. 

Rashid finally got his wicket as Tinotenda Mutombodzi holed out to Naji Tarkai at the boundary on 20. 

The Afghan skipper then bowled Burl on 25 to pick up his second wicket of the game. 

Neville Madziva was sent back to the pavilion by Gulbadin Naib as Nabi picked up an easy catch at mid-on. 

Regis Chakabva started a late storm to score 42 off 22 deliveries but was not enough as Zimbabwe ended up on 169-7. 

Rashid and Farid picked up a couple of wickets each for the Afghans whereas Karim and Naib picked up a wicket each.