DHAKA, Sept 14, 2019 (BSS)-Najibullah Zadran smashed his career-best 30- ball 69 not out as Afghanistan racked up a mammoth 197-5 in their first match of the Tri-nation T20 series against Zimbabwe at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium here on Saturday.
Zadran and Mohammad Nabi combined for Afghan’s fifth wicket record 107 off just 40 balls to take the side in strong position, showering sixes at will.
During their partnership, they struck 10 sixes between them.
Nabi struck four sixes in his 18 ball-38 before being out in the last ball of the innings.
His dismissal ended Afghan’s hope to go past 200 runs mark.
Zadran clobbered five fours and sixes in his 30 ball-69 as Afghanistan scored 88 runs in the last five overs.
Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz began the carnage after Zimbabwe sent Afghanistan to bat in the surface that was absolutely placid.
Gurbaz struck a 24 ball-43, hitting five fours and two sixes as Afghanistan smacked 58 runs in the first powerplay.
Zimbabwe came back strongly in the match with a flurry of wickets that saw them reduced Afghans to 90-4 in 14th over.
However Nabi and Zadran didn’t look back when they came together in the crease and left Zimbabwe in a state of embarrassment.
Tendai Chatara and Sean Williams took two wickets apiece for Zimbabwe.