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That is that from this contest and while the ODI series draws to a close, the T20s are coming up. A big series that given that it is a World Cup year we are talking about - do join us for our coverage of the first of three T20s on Saturday here on Sportskeeda. In the meantime of course, there's loads of cricketing action to look forward to, including the 2nd one-dayer between Pakistan and West Indies tomorrow and the Trent Bridge Test between England and New Zealand. Oh, there's the small matter of India and South Africa battling it out in New Delhi as we speak - hop over here to follow that contest! Thank you so much for tuning into our coverage of this contest - this is Sooryanarayanan Sesha and Lavil Saldanha taking your leave, while humbly reminding you to mask up and get vaccinated in case you haven't already. Buh-bye and take care!
Skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi collects the trophy before his teammates join him. They all break into a raucous cheer - they've well and truly earned this alright. Across all three facets of the game, they've completely outplayed and outclassed Zimbabwe right through these three games while ensuring that they kept the pressure on for longer periods of time. Sky is the limit for this side and they seem to be well on course for a direct spot in next year's 50-over World Cup in India.
Rahmat Shah is the Player of the Series for tallying 209 runs across the three games. Here's what he has to say: (On coming in with the intention of ending as Player of the Series) It was quite an important series for us. We came here to win all the three games. We had a preparation camp that was arranged and that helped us quite a lot. We came here a few days in advance to get used to the conditions. Going along with the plans from the coaching staff helped me and worked well for me.
Rashid Khan is the Player of the Match for his spell of 3/31. Here's what he has to say: It was all about the bowling unit the way we've performed throughout the series. We just kept it simple and hit the right areas. The way Mujeeb bowled today gave the platform for us to finish the game. But the way Fazal and Fareed started off, it gave us the base. It was a little difficult to bat on but on this wicket you have to work hard for your runs. Overall though we bowled well in the right areas. As a batting unit we took responsibility this series and it was so good to see. As a team, we wanted to score a lot of runs with the bat but overall very happy with the way we've played.
Hashmatullah Shahidi (Afghanistan captain): Very proud of the boys, it was a good performance. I am ready to take as many deliveries on the body for the team. We aimed to make it to the top two in the WC Super Series table and are happy. Our combination is of some young players and some experienced players, that's why you see Rashid doing well and Mohammad Nabi doing well. Nabi is the T20I captain and I wish him all the best for the T20I series
Craig Ervine (Zimbabwe captain): Today's wicket was the toughest of all we played in this series. The bowlers fought well to defend the total of 136. We had a flurry of wickets falling and couldn't regroup well. We have a day off and we will have regroup really quick before the next series on the weekend. Muzarabani bowled well and exploited the grass available on the pitch
Afghanistan 137/6 (37.4) beat Zimbabwe 135 (44.5) by 4 wickets to claim the series 3-0. Hashmatullah Shahidi 38 (70) | Mohammad Nabi 34* (47) & 2/21 (8) | Blessing Muzarabani 2/18 (2) Sikandar Raza 38 (77) | Rashid Khan 3/31 (7.5) | Fazalhaq Farooqi 2/25 (8)
They gave it all they had with the ball in hand but the bleeding obvious which was the fact that they just didn't enough to play with came back to haunt Zimbabwe. Full credit to the way they made a fist out of it though!
And it all started with the new ball with Blessing Muzarabani and Tendai Chatara using the bounce and lateral movement on offer to full effect. Rahmanullah Gurbaz endured another poor outing while Ibrahim Zadran was made to look like a cat on a hot tin roof. He was put out of his misery soon enough and with Muzarabani proving to be lethal, it was a difficult proposition that skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi walked out to face.
He copped one blow after another as Muzarabani used his height to great effect. His steep bounce was quite a handful and Craig Ervine went for the jugular by giving his lead seamer 10 overs on the trot. He had no choice of course, considering that wickets were the only way out for the hosts.
Once he bowed out, however, things eased out for the visitors. Sikandar Raza got the ball to grip and turn, but Shahidi waited and read him off the pitch to great effect. Slowly but surely, he knocked off the runs in the company of Mohammad Nabi to ensure that the slide was a short-lived one.
While he couldn't be there until the end to see his team home, Shahidi didn't have reason to panic as Nabi did the needful and steered the Afghan ship through to shore with a massive six to seal the series 3-0. Second on the World Cup Super League table now and jeez, they are having a ball in this format alright!
And there you go! Wrapped up in style by the ever-young Mohammad Nabi. Poetic in a way that he gets to seal the contest given how wonderfully he has bowled all along. What a crucial hand he's played with the bat in hand today and in the end, Afghanistan wrap up the series 3-0 with a 4-wicket win and 74 deliveries to spare!
37.4 Ryan Burl to Mohammad Nabi, SIX! NABI FINISHES OFF IN STYLE! Too short from Burl on the middle stump on that occasion, Nabi gets on his backfoot in a flash and pulls that one over the long-on boundary for a maximum to end the chase. Afghanistan win the match by 4 wickets, win 10 WC Super League Points, take the series 3-0 and also gain the second spot on the WC Super League table
37.3 Ryan Burl to Mohammad Nabi, length delivery outside the off-stump. Nabi looked to cut that one past point but fails to get it past Chatara. Rashid was halfway down the track but makes it back safely against a wide throw
37.2 Ryan Burl to Mohammad Nabi, length delivery on the middle and the leg stump. Nabi taps that one towards midwicket for a dot ball
37.1 Ryan Burl to Rashid Khan, much fuller and on the off stump. Rashid Khan sweeps that one hard and plays it towards deep backward square leg. The fielder puts in a dive and saves a run for his side. Three runs taken
End of a fine spell from Chatara even though his final over doesn't quite go according to plan. Onto single digits now - Afghanistan are just 8 runs away...
37
overs
128/6score
4
0
0
2
1
3
runs
Mohammad Nabi
28(44)
Rashid Khan*
3(2)
Tendai Chatara
2/32
36.6 Tendai Chatara to Rashid Khan, straight one the middle and the off stump. Rashid Khan plays that off his pads towards deep midwicket and gets three runs to end the over
36.5 Tendai Chatara to Mohammad Nabi, back of a length delivery outside the off stump. Nabi punches that one off his backfoot towards deep backward point for a single
36.4 Tendai Chatara to Mohammad Nabi, full and outside the off stump. Nabi drives that one towards deep sweeper cover and the pair run hard between the wickets for a brace
36.3 Tendai Chatara to Mohammad Nabi, length delivery outside the off stump. Nabi taps that one towards point for a dot ball
36.2 Tendai Chatara to Mohammad Nabi, length delivery outside the off stump. Nabi looked to play that one closer to the body and he has a play and a miss on that occasion
36.1 Tendai Chatara to Mohammad Nabi, FOUR! Short ball outside the off stump, Nabi waits for it and powerfully pulls that one away towards deep midwicket for a cracking boundary
Video
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Harare Sports Club
Mohammad Nabi
Tendai Chatara
