made a sharp start to the T20I series against , reducing the hosts to 31/3 at the end of the powerplay in the first match at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
The early burst came only days after Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by seven wickets in the ODI tri-series final. That gave Sikandar Raza’s side every reason to come out firing in the shorter format.
won the toss and chose to field, and his bowlers backed the call almost at once. Afghanistan lost three wickets inside the first three overs, slipping from 11 without loss to 18/3 in the space of seven deliveries.
made the first breakthrough in the second over. Afghanistan captain had struck a boundary down the ground but fell for 5 off 6 balls, caught by Brian Bennett, with the score on 11/1 after 1.5 overs.
Ernest Masuku then struck twice in the third over. Sediqullah Atal was caught by Tadiwanashe Marumani for 2 off 2 balls, leaving Afghanistan at 14/2. Two deliveries later, Mohammad Akram hit a four but was trapped lbw for 4, and Afghanistan were 18/3 after 2.6 overs.
With the top order gone, and Shahidullah Kamal slowed the pace to steady the innings. Kamal survived a scare in the sixth over when a top-edge struck his visor, and he resumed after the mandatory concussion check. He then hit a four square of the wicket off Newman Nyamhuri to end the powerplay.
Afghanistan finished the first six overs on 31/3. By the end of the eighth over, they had reached 38/3, with Gurbaz on 13 off 18 balls and Kamal on 11 off 20.
Ernest Masuku, who made his T20I debut for the team, was the standout bowler of the powerplay, taking two wickets for 10 runs in his two overs. Evans went at four runs an over alongside his wicket, and Raza also bowled a tidy over as Zimbabwe kept the pressure on.
Afghanistan still have considerable firepower to come, with Azmatullah Omarzai and Rashid Khan yet to bat. Their recent T20I form has been uneven, though, with only one win in their last five completed matches in the format, including a 3-0 series defeat to India in September. Without veteran Mohammad Nabi in the squad, Gurbaz will need to bat deep to give the middle order a platform.
Zimbabwe, who were swept 3-0 by India in July and lost the Namibia tri-series final to South Africa, will look to press home this early advantage.
