| Scores | Upcoming | Results |
Zimbabwe 287 (Raza 85, Masvaure 65*, Rashid 4-138, Rashid 3-73) and 20 for 0 (Kasuza 20*) trail Afghanistan 545 for 4 dec (Shahidi 200*, Afghan 164, Zadran 72, Jamal 55*) by 234 runs
Abu Dhabi: Afghanistan bowled Zimbabwe out for 287 in the first innings, and enforced a follow-on as the visitors went to stumps on day three at 24/0, trailing by 234.
Zimbabwe resumed the day on 50/0. The openers, Prince Masvaure (65) and Kevin Kasuza (41) gave them a good start but couldn’t convert it into a big score. Their opening partnership of 91 off 181 balls came to end when Kasuza edged one to the slip off Rashid Khan’s bowling.
Tarisai Masukanda joined Masvaure in the middle. Masukanda attempted to anchor the innings from his end but lost Masvaure (65), Sean Williams (8), and Wesley Madhevere (0) in quick successions as Zimbabwe were reduced to 145/4 in the 50th over.
Amir Hamza continued to maintain pressure from his end and took three wickets for 73 runs. Masukanda scored 41 in 91 balls but was outdone by a googly bowled by Rashid after a change of ends, which turned in sharply resulting him in getting out lbw.
Sikandar Raza combined forces with Regis Chakabva and added 53 runs to the total. Chakabva was dismissed, caught by Ibrahim Zadran, who took an incredible one-handed catch at short leg.
Raza played a counter-attacking innings of 85 with a strike rate of 65.89. His innings included seven fours and a six. While batting with tailenders, Raza decided to keep the majority of the strike with himself to protect the lower order batsmen.
Raza steered a yorker in the gap to pick up a single on the last ball of the 91st over but the fielder intentionally collected the ball from beyond the ropes to deny Raza the strike. The umpires penalized Afghanistan by awarding Zimbabwe an extra run.
Rashid was the pick of the bowlers. He finished with the figures of 4/138 and also effected the run out of Blessing Muzarbani (0) via a direct hit.
Zimbabwe after being asked to bat again finished the day 24/0.
