Toss: Afghanistan won the toss and chose to field first.
Venue: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena & Langton Rusere
What Actually Happened
Winner: New Zealand won by 8 wickets
Scores: Afghanistan 124/8 New Zealand125/2
Player of the Match:Trent Boult 3/17
Best Figures
Trent Boult (4-0-17-3)
Rashid Khan (4-0-27-1)
Most Runs
Najibullah Zadran 73 (48)
Kane Williamson 40* (42)
Moments of The Day: Fielders, Bowlers, Williamson-Conway Brush Aside Afghanistan
Fast bowlers all chipped in to break Afghanistan’s hopes. Impressive Milne nicked out Shahzad, Boult got Zazai, and Southee dismissed Gurbaz. Afghanistan 19/3 in 5.1 overs and never recovered.
Najibullah Zadran was the lone star for Afghanistan. Scoring his best T20I score of 73 out of Afghanistan’s 125 shows you the impact he had. Such a clean striker of he ball. He now averages 33.29 at a SR of 141.28 in T20Is.
Afghanistan missed a trick by waiting to bring Rashid Khan till after the Powerplay, but he delivered. Runs dried up with NZ at 63/2 in 11 overs, still needing 62 in the remaining 9. With Williamson steady, Devon Conway finally played an innings of note. Reverse sweeps and sweeps eased the pressure as NZ won with 11 balls to spare.
Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Afghanistan, India Crash Out
Broken Dream #1 is the obvious one – Afghanistan was expected to defeat one of the three big guns – Pakistan, India, or NZ.
Till Afghanistan reached Asif Ali, everything was well & good. 130 run victory against Scotland, brushing aside Namibia, NRR touching the roof. Post Asif Ali’s assault, Afghanistan’s body language dropped, Asghar Afghan retired midway, & Afghanistan did not give a fight to India or NZ. Semi-finals in friendly conditions was within reach, and they let it slip.
Broken Dream #2 – Indian fans tuned into this match for an Afghanistan upset. Not only did Afghanistan lose, they took out India with them. A dead rubber scheduled for tomorrow.
T20 World Cup Points Table, Most Runs, Wickets, Catches, Dismissals
No need to go elsewhere for thePoints Table, Highest Run Scorer, Highest Wicket Taker, Most Catches, and Most Dismissals. We will keep updating it in every article!
Image Courtesy: Graphic (original work), Kyle Coetzer – Photo by Francois Nel-ICC/ICC via Getty Images, Mahmudullah – Photo by Mike Hewitt-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
Toss: Afghanistan won the toss and chose to field first.
Venue: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Umpires: Paul Reiffel & Richard Kettleborough
What Actually Happened
Winner: Pakistan won by 45 runs
Scores: India 210/2Afghanistan144/7
Player of the Match:Rohit Sharma 74 (47)
Best Figures
Gulbadin Naib (4-0-39-1)
Mohammad Shami (4-0-32-3), R Ashwin (4-0-14-2)
Most Runs
Rohit Sharma 74 (47)
Karim Janat 42* (22)
Moments of The Day: Rahul-Rohit & India’s Positive Intent
KL Rahul & Rohit Sharma set the tone for India. Hitting 5 sixes and 14 fours between them, they carried India to 140 in about 14 overs. Strong platform meant India could promote Rishabh Pant & Hardik Pandya ahead of Kohli. 27* (13) & 35* (13) was quite the finishing touch.
The bowling stories of the day were of Shami & Ashwin. I am happy for Shami, who had received a lot of social media hate after the game against Pakistan. Today he was India’s highest wicket taker and dented Afghanistan’s chase at the top. Ashwin playing his first T20I since 2016 showed why is still the best off-spinner in India. An economy of 3.5 with wickets of dangerous Najib & Gulbadin ensured India would win by a large margin.
At the end, Janat’s quickfire 42 (including a last ball six) and intelligent batting by Mohammad Nabi 35 (31) made sure NRR margin between the two countries was still far
Honorable Mention: Pandya’s difficult boundary catch to dismiss Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who was looking really good
If only they had restricted Pakistan earlier….
Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: The Toss
Till this game, Afghanistan was winning the toss and choosing to bat first – Their template, bat first, score high, unleash the spinners. With Mujeeb’s injury & dew factor, Afghanistan went with bowling first and were never in the game. Without a target, Rashid’s guile (conceded 36) & Naveen-ul-Haq’s slower deliveries (conceded 59) were not potent.
Another broken dream was suggestions in social media that the match was fixed due Afghanistan’s lack of intensity. This sort of rhetoric just isn’t called for and is actually detrimental to the game.
T20 World Cup Points Table, Most Runs, Wickets, Catches, Dismissals
No need to go elsewhere for thePoints Table, Highest Run Scorer, Highest Wicket Taker, Most Catches, and Most Dismissals. We will keep updating it in every article!
Image Courtesy: Graphic (original work), Kyle Coetzer – Photo by Francois Nel-ICC/ICC via Getty Images, Mahmudullah – Photo by Mike Hewitt-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
Toss: Afghanistan won the toss and chose to field first.
Venue: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Umpires: Ahsan Raza & Chris Gaffaney
What Actually Happened
Winner: Afghanistan won by 62 runs
Scores: Afghanistan160/5Namibia 98/9
Player of the Match:Naveen-ul-Haq 3/26 (officially), he symbolically gave his award to Asghar Afghan
Best Figures
Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton (4-0-21-2)
Hamid Hassan (4-0-9-3)
Most Runs
Mohammad Shahzad 45 (33)
David Wiese 26 (30)
Moments of The Day: Openers, Medium Pacers Brush Namibia Aside
Openers Hazratullah Zazai (33) & Mohammad Shahzad (45) gave Afghanistan another quick start with 53 runs in 6.3 overs. After a brief collapse, Asghar Afghan (31) & Mohammad Nabi (32*) made sure that Afghanistan reached a competitive 160.
Although Naveen-ul-Haq provided the early blows and Gubadin Naib’s 2/19 squeezed Namibia, it was comeback kid Hamid Hassan that turned the match. Although he had not played any T20Is since the last T20 World Cup and only a couple of ODIs between the ODI WCs, his speed and accuracy was the moment of the day. 4-0-9-3 are figures of dreams and pace was pretty high. A true legend.
Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Asghar Afghan Retires
The leader of the Afghans for over a decade, Asghar Afghan retired surprisingly at the age of 33 in the middle of the tournament. The match was emotional. Namibia gave Asghar a guard of honor, and his teammates gave a guard of honor after he departed. In the mid-game interview, he mentioned that Pakistan’s close loss was too much to take so he decided to give way to youngsters.
Naveen-ul-Haq gave his player of the match trophy to Asghar as a tribute. Most of this team had debuted under Asghar and view him in high regard.
At the time of his retirement, he was joint highest for the most wins as a T20I captain alongside Eoin Morgan & MS Dhoni.
T20 World Cup Points Table, Most Runs, Wickets, Catches, Dismissals
No need to go elsewhere for thePoints Table, Highest Run Scorer, Highest Wicket Taker, Most Catches, and Most Dismissals. We will keep updating it in every article!
Image Courtesy: Graphic (original work), Kyle Coetzer – Photo by Francois Nel-ICC/ICC via Getty Images, Mahmudullah – Photo by Mike Hewitt-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
Toss: Afghanistan won the toss and chose to bat first.
Venue: Dubai International Stadium, Dubai, UAE
Umpires: Chris Brown & Joel Wilson
What Actually Happened
Winner: Pakistan won by 5 wickets
Scores: Afghanistan 147/6 – Pakistan 148/5
Player of the Match: Asif Ali 25* (7)
Best Figures
Imad Wasim (4-0-25-2)
Rashid Khan (4-0-26-2)
Most Runs
Gulbadin Naib 35* (25), Mohammad Nabi 35* (32)
Babar Azam 51 (47), Asif Ali 25* (7)
Moments of The Day: Asif Ali Rescues Pakistan
Imad Wasim & Shadab Khan Disciplined –In Pakistan’s first game, Shaheen-Rizwan-Babar performed. In the next game, Haris Rauf-Malik-Asif Ali came to the party. Although Asif Ali was the man of the moment again today, Wasim-Shadab-Fakhar’s contributions could not be disregarded. Imad & Shadab combined for 8-0-47-3. Imad bowled well both in the pwowerplay and the middle overs, while Shadab Khan’s fielding at backward point was electric.
Gulbadin Naib-Mohammad Nabi-Najibullah Zadran string a comeback. Afghanistan’s fighting spirit was on show today. To recover from 39-4 & later 76-6 in 13 overs to push towards 150 takes smart, sensible cricket. In the last three overs, Gulabdin Naib just hit Hasan Ali & Rauf out of the park.
Babar Azam Slow but Steady, Fakhar Zaman Shines, Shoaib Malik Continues His GoodForm, and Asif Ali hits 4 Sixes in 6 Balls to Wrap It Up
Afghanistan had smartly held Rashid Khan back till after the 10 over drinks break. Immediately he made an impact but DRS saved Babar Azam. The next over Fakhar Zaman departed to Nabi’s guile. Hafeez’s wicket followed. Match in balance.
In comes Shoaib Malik and hits Rashid for a big six in his last over to reduce the pressure. Then, Naveen-ul-Haq drops Babar Azam. Pakistan in front.
Final ball of his spell, Rashid to Babar, bowled ’em! Then a wonderful 2 run-1 wicket (Malik) over by Naveen Ul-Haq. Afghanistan right back in.
24 runs need in 12 balls.
6, 0, 6, 0, 6, 6. Pakistan win. That’s All. Easy as you like it.
So many ebbs and flows in this match! Brilliant game of cricket.
Another impactful innings from Asif Ali, who seems to have turned a corner. Brilliant side to watch this, Pakistan. Good fight by Afghanistan as well. They should not be disheartened.
Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Afghanistan Lose Another Close One Against Pakistan
Pakistan Vs Afghanistan is becoming a real rivalry. Throughout the match, passion and emotion was pouring from the fans and the players, but this is now the second consecutive close World Cup game between the two. In the 2019 ODI World Cup, Afghanistan had almost won before Imad Wasim’s heroics brought Pakistan back. Pakistan won with only 2 balls to spare in 50 overs.
Hopefully Afghanistan can bounce back and still fight for the semi-finals spot.
No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Highest Run Scorer, Highest Wicket Taker, Most Catches, and Most Dismissals. We will keep updating it in every article!
Mahmudullah – 150 runs (Bangladesh, 6 Matches)
Shakib Al Hasan – 11 wickets (Bangladesh, 4 Matches)
Calum MacLeod – 6 catches (Scotland, 5 Matches)
Nurul Hasan, Matthew Cross (Bangladesh/Scotland) – 5 dismissals
Group 1 Table
Teams
Played
Won
Lost
Tied No-Result
Points
Net Run Rate
1. England
2
2
0
0
4
+ 3.614
2. Australia
2
2
0
0
4
+ 0.727
3. South Africa
2
1
1
0
2
+ 0.179
4. Sri Lanka
2
1
1
0
2
– 0.416
5. West Indies
3
1
2
0
2
– 1.598
6. Bangladesh
3
0
3
0
0
– 1.069
T20 World Cup 2021 Group 1 Points Table
Group 2 Table
Teams
Played
Won
Lost
Tied No-Result
Points
Net Run Rate
1. Pakistan
3
3
0
0
6
+ 0.638
2. Afghanistan
2
1
1
0
2
+ 3.092
3. Namibia
1
0
1
0
2
+ 0.550
4. New Zealand
1
0
1
0
0
– 0.532
5. India
1
0
1
0
0
– 0.973
6. Scotland
2
0
0
0
2
– 3.562
T20 World Cup 2021 Group 2 Points Table
Also, if you have not yet read our T20 World Cup Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:
Image Courtesy: Graphic (original work), Kyle Coetzer – Photo by Francois Nel-ICC/ICC via Getty Images, Mahmudullah – Photo by Mike Hewitt-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
Afghanistan Vs Scotland Quick Review — Openers, Gurbaz, Najibullah set up huge total after which the Mujeeb-Rashid show close things off.
Afghanistan won by a mammoth 130 runs. For comparison, West Indies have been bundled out for 55 and Australia & South Africa reached 120 the other day.
Moments of The Day: All Round Afghan Performance Should Send Warning Across Group 2
Mohammad Shahzad-Hazratullah Zazai form an interesting partnership. When they fail, the dismissals might look silly and they may go quickly. However, when it is their day, they can be totally destructive. Today was their day. A 54 (35) partnership set the tone and Afghanistan never looked back. Add a wonderful catch by Shahzad as well.
The momentum seemed to initially slow down with Rahmanullah Gurbaz & Najibullah Zadran, but they accelerated at even a higher pace. An 87 (52) and a couple of fours from Nabi at the end ensured Afghanistan score 190 in Sharjah.
Now for the man of the moment — Mujeeb Ur Rahman. For the first three overs, it looked like George Munsey was up for the challenge, reverse sweeping Nabi for a couple of hits. In comes Mujeeb — a couple of marginal LBW shouts, and 3 wickets in an over later — Scotland collapsed.
Before even the great Rashid Khan bowled his first ball, the game was done and dusted at 5/36. Then came Rashid Khan and with 4 wickets in 14 balls, finished things off quickly. Scotland bundled for 60. Afghanistan’s NRR up to + 6.500. Among the 9 wickets by spin, 4 bowleds & 5 LBWs. WOW!
Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Scotland’s Middle Order Collapses As Streak Ends
Scotland were on a high after winning 3 out of 3 in the early stages, including defeating Test nation Bangladesh. Scotland had suffered years of heartbreak and no wins at a WC stage. Reaching second stage and automatically qualifying for the 2022 T20 World Cup is already a victory for them. Improvement in their progress was based on the names in the top/middle order.
Today apart from Munsey’s 25 (17) & Kyle Coetzer’s 10 (7), the scorecard read:
No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Highest Run Scorer, Highest Wicket Taker, Most Catches, and Most Dismissals. We will keep updating it in every article!
Musfiqur Rahim – 135 runs (Bangladesh, 5 Matches)
Shakib Al Hasan – 11 wickets (Bangladesh, 4 Matches)
Calum MacLeod – 6 catches (Scotland, 5 Matches)
Nurul Hasan, Matthew Cross (Bangladesh/Scotland) – 5 dismissals
Group 1 Table
Teams
Played
Won
Lost
Tied No-Result
Points
Net Run Rate
1. England
2
2
0
0
4
+ 3.614
2. Sri Lanka
1
1
0
0
2
+ 0.583
3. Australia
1
1
0
0
2
+ 0.253
4. South Africa
2
1
1
0
2
+ 0.179
5. Bangladesh
2
0
2
0
0
– 1.655
6. West Indies
2
0
2
0
0
– 2.550
T20 World Cup 2021 Group 1 Points Table
Group 2 Table
Teams
Played
Won
Lost
Tied No-Result
Points
Net Run Rate
1. Pakistan
2
2
0
0
4
+ 0.738
2. Afghanistan
1
1
0
0
2
+ 6.500
3. Namibia
1
0
1
0
2
+ 0.550
4. New Zealand
1
0
1
0
0
– 0.532
5. India
1
0
1
0
0
– 0.973
6. Scotland
2
0
0
0
2
– 3.562
T20 World Cup 2021 Group 2 Points Table
Also, if you have not yet read our T20 World Cup Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:
Image Courtesy: Graphic (original work), Kyle Coetzer – Photo by Francois Nel-ICC/ICC via Getty Images, Mahmudullah – Photo by Mike Hewitt-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
Some series are more hyped than others. That is the way of life. Amidst the India Vs England ‘marquee’ series, there was a much better spectacle of cricket in the UAE.
This series had everything—an overseas Test victory for Zimbabwe, first Test double century for Afghanistan by Hasmatullah Shahidi, Sean Williams’ 2 tons, follow-on fightback from Williams-Tiripano, Zimbabwe’s Blessing (Muzarabani), Rashid Khan’s toil of the century, and other heroes in Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Asghar Afghan, Ryan Burl, Ibrahim Zadran, Amir Hamza, and lot more.
Here is my series review—Results, video highlights stats, major moments, T20I World Cup squad predictions, awards, and much more!
Rahmanullah Gurbaz – 114 runs (best of 87, 154.05 SR)
Ryan Burl – 81 runs (best of 40, 122.72 SR)
Most Wickets
Rashid Khan – 6 wickets (best of 3/28, 7.60 economy)
Blessing Muzarabani – 6 wickets (best of 2/38, 10.25 economy)
Afghanistan Vs Zimbabwe 2021 T20I Series Stats
The Highlights
Afghanistan
Rashid Khan only played one Test match. In that one Test, he bowled more than anyone in the entire series. In fact, it was the most overs bowled in the 21st century in a single test. Digest that. He bowled 36.3 overs in the first innings & 62.5 overs in the follow on, taking 11 wickets overall. The fact that he left the PSL, missed the first Test with an injury, and played the rest of the series with full commitment is just something else. Also, he is only 22. Afghanistan needs to find more bowling partners to save Rashid from burnout.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz for me was the find of the series. 87 with 7 sixes in his player of the matchdebut performance. Not a bad start I would say.
With Gurbaz, Mohamamad Nabi, Asghar Afghan, & Najibullah Zadran all playing crucial roles in the T20I series, Karim Janat flew under the radar. Consistent all-round performances with 26 & 2/14, 53 & 1/27, and 21 & 2/34 got him the player of the series award.
A word on Hashmatullah Shahidi & Asghar Afghan. First double hundred by an Afghan batsman, 164 for Asghar, and a 307-run brilliant partnership. Afghanistan is improving, slowly but steadily. Good signs for world cricket.
Zimbabwe
With Brendon Taylor & Craig Ervine missing out due to illness, captain Sean Williams shouldered the responsibility with 105 in the 2-day Test victory & 151* in a follow-on. He was just a class apart. When Taylor & Ervine return, I am hoping for some progress for this Zimbabwean team (and possibly a 2023 WC qualification?)
Blessing Muzarabani was among the wickets in both the Test and ODI series. 4/48 & 2/14 in that first Test followed by 2 wickets each in the last Test and the T20Is. Slightly expensive in the T20Is, but will get better with time.
There was a time after the 2003 World Cup that Zimbabwe’s fast bowling stocks depleted. The bowling unit of Muzarabani, Victor Nyauchi, and Donald Tiripano bundled Afghanistan for 131 & 135 in the UAE. Gives me some hope.
The 187 run-partnership between Williams & Tiripano for the 8th wicket in the follow-on (highest for Zimbabwe at that spot) was very special. At the 20th anniversary of Dravid-Laxman’s partnership at the Eden Gardens, this would have been the perfect tribute. Unfortunately, Tiripano got out for 95 and Afghanistan chased the score with only a brief stutter. Brilliant Test match regardless.
The Awards
We like to spice things up with our own awards for the series. Here they are:
Afghanistan
Zimbabwe
Emerging Player
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Amir Hamza (6/75), Ibrahim Zadran (31 & 76, 72 & 29)
Blessing Muzarabani
Surprise Package
Karim Janat
Ryan Burl
Broken Cricket Dream
Abdul Malik, Munir Ahmad, Abdul Wasi (Debutants)
Brendon Taylor, Craig Ervine (miss out during illness)
Afghanistan Vs Zimbabwe 2021 Series Awards
Who would have been your Emerging Player? Surprise Player? Broken Cricket Dream? Let us know below WITH COMMENTS! Also please share and subscribe below!
T20I World Cup Watch
We are doing a World T20 Watch from now till the T20I world cup next year. Here is our predicted T20 XI line up and a 16-men squad as of now based on this series. Several ifs and buts at this point, but it will get clearer along the journey.
Since the T20 World Cup is scheduled in India, several spin options are considered.
Afghanistan 2021 World T20 Squad – Prediction
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), 2. Usman Ghani, 3. Karim Janat, 4. Najibullah Zadran, 5. Mohammad Nabi, 6. Asghar Afghan*, 7. Rashid Khan, 8. Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 9. Amir Hamza/Zahir Khan, 10. Naveen Ul-Haq, 11. Fareed Ahmad
Wildcards: Wellington Masakadza, Prince Masvaure, Milton Shumba
Where Do They Go From Here?
Zimbabwe is bound to tour Ireland in August for 3 ODIs (after Ireland tour Netherlands in June for 3 ODIs) . Important ODI Super League points up for grabs.
In the meantime, the Afghanistan trio of Rashid Khan-Mohammad Nabi-Mujeeb Ur Rahman will be headed to Sunrisers Hyderabad camp for the Indian Premier League.
What did you think about the Afghanistan Vs Zimbabwe 2021 series? What are your World T20 line ups? COMMENT BELOW, and let us know what you think!
