Zimbabwe and Afghanistan looks to series win

Harare: Afghanistan has a chance to top Zimbabwe and add one more One-Day International series win – after 2015 – to its cupboard when it takes on a rejuvenated Zimbabwe in the fifth and final game of the series at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.

After giving a poor account of itself in the first two ODIs, where it lost by 12 (D/L method) and 54 runs, Graeme Cremer team revisited their plans and came right back into the series with a narrow three-run win in the third game and an easy seven-wicket win (D/L method) in the fourth.

Rain has been a feature during the course of the series and there is every likelihood of it affecting the contest on the morrow as well. It’s unlikely, however, that weather would be on the minds of either captain.

Batting, instead, will be the main worry, because neither team has been able to quite get going so far. Disciplined bowling on the part of both units has had a part to play in wickets falling in heaps, but the slippery and occasionally spongy strip has troubled the bat-wielders big time.

Zimbabwe will feel its bowling is in good hands especially because Tendai Chatara and Chris Mpofu are the two top wicket-takers this series with ten and nine scalps respectively. Cremer, too, has chipped in well with his leg-spin.

Rashid Khan, the leg-spinner, will be the one bowler Afghanistan will rely on to keep it in the hunt. But it will certainly be of help if the batsmen, too, come to the party.

The last time the sides we involved in a series, Afghanistan bounced back from 2-0 down to win the series. The roles have reversed now, but it remains to be seen if the trend of the come-from-behind victory continues.

Teams from

Zimbabwe: Graeme Cremer (capt), Peter Moor (wk), Ryan Burl, Tarisai Musakanda, Sikandar Raza, Malcolm Waller, Elton Chigumbura, Wellington Masakadza, Donaldo Tiripano, Tendai Chatara, Christopher Mpofu, Nathan Waller, Craig Ervine, Solomon Mire, Carl Mumbai, Richard Ngarava.

Afghanistan:Asghar Stanikzai (capt), Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Noor Ali Zadran, Ihsanullah Janat, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shaheedi, Samiullah Shenwari, Najeebullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Gulbadin Naib, Kareem Janat, Dawlat Zadran, Farid Ahmad, Aftab Alam.

Stats and trivia

• Tendai Chatara needs two wickets for 50-ODI wickets
• Malcolm Waller needs 42 run to completes 1000-run and Noor Ali Zadran also needs six for 1000-run in ODIs

Match facts
Sunday Feb. 26, 2017
Start time 09300 local (0730 GMT)