Dhaka, Sept 20 (UNB) — Hamilton Masakadza’s star performance with the bat in his last international appearance helped Zimbabwe beat high-flying Afghanistan by seven wickets on Friday.

The match of the ongoing Tri-series T20 was played at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. 

With this win, Zimbabwe beat Afghanistan in the shortest form of international cricket for the first time. In the previous eight games, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe. 

At the same time, this defeat also ended Afghanistan’s run of most consecutive wins in T20Is. They won 12 of their previous T20Is, which is the world record for winning most T20Is consecutively.

This match will be remembered as the last international game of Masakadza, who started playing for Zimbabwe back in 2001. Masakadza tried his best to make the occasion memorable by hitting his last fifty in international cricket. 

Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat first. They put up 155 runs on the board for eight wickets in 20 overs. In reply, Zimbabwe ended on 156 for three in 19.3 overs and sealed the game by seven wickets. 

Zimbabwe had a decent first-wicket stand as Brendan Taylor and Masakdza added 40 runs in 4.6 overs. In the second wicket, Masakadza and Regis Chakabva posted 70 runs and this partnership brought Zimbabwe close to winning the game. 

But Masakadza fell for 71 and Chakabva followed him scoring 39. Sean Williams, the next captain of Zimbabwe, scored an unbeaten 21. 

For Afghanistan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman bagged two wickets while Dawlat Zadran took one. 

Earlier, Wicketkeeper-batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit his maiden T20Is fifty as Afghanistan posted 155. Afghans added 83 runs in the first wicket stand. Hazratullah Zazai, who has been struggling in the series, fell as the first man scoring 31 off 24.

Afghanistan continued losing wickets. They lost eight wickets while scoring the last 68 runs.

Rahmanullah was the best among the Afghan batsmen. He ended up scoring 61 off 47 with four fours and as many sixes. For Zimbabwe, pace bowler Chris Mpofu bagged four wickets conceding 30 runs, which is now his best bowling figure in T20 Internationals. 

Tinotenda Mutombodzi took two wickets. 

Zimbabwe are already out of the race for the final, which will be played on September 24 between Afghanistan and hosts Bangladesh at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

Afghanistan will face Bangladesh on Saturday while Zimbabwe will come back to Dhaka before leaving Bangladesh. 

Dhaka, Sept 29 (UNB) — Bangladesh are seeking a win against Afghanistan on Saturday at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram before heading into the final of the ongoing T20 tournament.

Bangladesh won their first match against Zimbabwe in the series but lost the next game to Afghanistan.

The final will take place at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka.

Before coming to this match, Bangladesh and Afghanistan faced each other in five T20Is. After the loss in the first league-phase game against Afghanistan, Shakib Al Hasan said the Afghans are a bigger team in T20Is than Bangladesh.

“We are placed at number 10 in the ICC T20 Teams Ranking while the Afghans are at number seven. They beat us in Dehradun and now in Bangladesh as well,” Shakib had said.

Bangladeshi batsmen had trouble playing Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman. While Rashid has been denting Bangladesh with his leg-spinning ability, Mujeeb became a new threat with his right-arm off-spin. 

Bangladesh inducted a leg-spinner - Aminul Islam Biplob - in the previous game against Zimbabwe. But he might not be able to play Saturday as he sustained a blow on his left hand and had to get three stitches. 

Bangladesh’s probable XI against Afghanistan: Najmul Hossain Shanto, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Afif Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain Saikat, Mohammad Saifuddin, Shafiul Islam and Mustafizur Rahman.

Dhaka, Sept 20 (UNB) — Wicketkeeper-batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit his maiden T20Is fifty as Afghanistan posted 155 for eight in 20 overs against Zimbabwe on Friday at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.

Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat first. They added 83 runs in the first wicket stand which is now the highest first-wicket partnership in the series so far. 

Hazratullah Zazai, who has been struggling in the series, fell as the first man scoring 31 off 24.

After the tremendous first-wicket stand, Afghanistan continued losing wickets. They lost eight wickets while scoring the last 68 runs.

Rahmanullah was the best among the Afghan batsmen today. He ended up scoring 61 off 47 with four fours and as many sixes. 

For Zimbabwe, pace bowler Chris Mpofu bagged four wickets conceding 30 runs, which is now his best bowling figure in T20 Internationals. 

Tinotenda Mutombodzi took two wickets. 

Zimbabwe are already out of the race for the final, which will be played on September 24 between Afghanistan and hosts Bangladesh at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. 

Dhaka, Sept 20 (UNB) — Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat first against Zimbabwe on Friday in the ongoing tri-series T20 at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.

Afghanistan has already booked a place in the final of the event while Zimbabwe endured three defeats in a row and lost their chance to play in the final.

Before coming to this match, Afghanistan beat Bangladesh in their last match while Zimbabwe lost to the Tigers on Wednesday.

This match will be the last international appearance of Zimbabwe captain Hamilton Masakdza. Sean Williams is scheduled to take over as skipper.

Afghanistan (Playing XI): Rahmanullah Gurbaz (w), Hazratullah Zazai, Shafiqullah Shafiq, Asghar Afghan, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Fazal Niazai, Rashid Khan(c), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Dawlat Zadran

Zimbabwe (Playing XI): Brendan Taylor (w), Hamilton Masakadza (c), Regis Chakabva, Sean Williams, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Ryan Burl, Richmond Mutumbami, Neville Madziva, Kyle Jarvis, Ainsley Ndlovu, Chris Mpofu

Dhaka, Sept 19 (UNB) – Nineteen-year-old Bangladeshi all-rounder Aminul Islam, who made his debut in international cricket in the ongoing Tri-series on Wednesday, is uncertain for the next game of Bangladesh against Afghanistan on Saturday due to injury. 

Sources from Chattogram confirmed that Aminul hurt his left hand during his first international game while fielding and he had to get three stitches on his hand which is likely to prevent him from playing the remainders of the series. 

Before donning the national team jersey, Aminul appeared only in two Twenty20s and 19 List-A games.

Along with being a middle-order batsman, Aminul is also known as a potential leg-spinner and in fact, he was brought to the national team for his leg-spinning ability. 

On the debut, Aminul took two wickets for 18 runs in his four overs, what was described as good as Mahmudullah Riyad who won the man of the match award in the match against Zimbabwe on Wednesday.