Sediqullah Atal hit his first-ever century in one-day internationals as Afghanistan crushed Zimbabwe by a massive 232 runs in Harare. This win gave Afghanistan a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.
Atal scored 104 runs, and alongside Abdul Malik (84), they built a strong 191-run partnership for the opening wicket. Later, Hashmatullah Shahidi, the Afghan captain, added an unbeaten 29 to take the team’s total to 286-6 in 50 overs.
Zimbabwe, opting to bowl first, struggled right from the start of their chase. Ben Curran was run out in the first over, setting the tone for a poor batting display. Only Sikandar Raza (19 not out) and Sean Williams (16) managed to get into double figures, as Zimbabwe was bowled out for just 54 runs in 17.5 overs at Harare Sports Club.
Afghanistan’s bowlers were unstoppable. Allah Ghazanfar (3-9), Naveed Zadran (3-13), and Fazalhaq Farooqi (2-15) tore through Zimbabwe’s batting lineup.
Player-of-the-match Atal expressed his delight, saying, “I am thrilled with my performance and the team’s effort. Abdul and I supported each other, which helped us perform well. I was a bit nervous nearing the century, but I managed to overcome it.”
Shahidi praised the openers, stating, “The credit goes to our openers for their brilliant batting. We excelled in all areas and gave 100%. The team is committed, and everyone knows their role. We aim to maintain this momentum.”
Atal, who debuted in ODIs just last month, struck four sixes and eight fours in his 128-ball knock. Abdul Malik, playing his second ODI, impressed with a six and 11 fours before both fell to Zimbabwean bowler Newman Nyamhuri (3-53).
For Zimbabwe, this match added to their struggles in the 50-over format. Their dismal performance revived memories of their record-low ODI score of 35 against Sri Lanka in 2004.
Brief Match Summary
Afghanistan: 286-6 in 50 overs (Sediqullah Atal 104, Abdul Malik 84, Hashmatullah Shahidi 29 not out; Newman Nyamhuri 3-53, Trevor Gwandu 2-70).
Zimbabwe: 54 all out in 17.5 overs (Sikandar Raza 19 not out, Sean Williams 16; Allah Ghazanfar 3-9, Naveed Zadran 3-13, Fazalhaq Farooqi 2-15).
Afghanistan now leads the series 1-0, with Zimbabwe needing a strong comeback in the upcoming matches.
