Afghanistan delivered a masterclass in all-round cricket, dismantling Zimbabwe by a colossal 232 runs in the second ODI in Harare. This emphatic performance not only secured them a commanding lead in the three-match series but also showcased their dominance in every facet of the game.
Batting first, Afghanistan was propelled by a sensational 191-run opening partnership between the 23-year-old Sediqullah Atal and Abdul Malik. Atal stole the spotlight with his maiden ODI century, crafting a composed 104 off 128 balls, laced with eight boundaries and four towering sixes. Malik ably supported him with a solid 84, as the duo batted confidently until the 35th over, leaving Zimbabwe’s bowlers searching for answers. The breakthrough finally came from 18-year-old left-arm pacer Newman Nyamhuri, who dismissed Malik and later claimed two more wickets, including Atal. Despite a late collapse that saw Afghanistan add fewer than 100 runs in the final 15 overs, their total of 286/6 proved far beyond Zimbabwe's reach.
Zimbabwe’s response unraveled almost immediately. A run-out claimed Ben Curran in the opening over, setting the tone for a disastrous chase. Afghanistan’s fast bowlers, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Azmatullah Omarzai, tore through the top order, reducing the hosts to 11/4 by the seventh over. Spinner AM Ghazanfar then joined the carnage, dismissing Sean Williams and Brian Bennett in quick succession. From the other end, medium-pacer Naveed Zadran piled on the misery, taking three key wickets and leaving Sikandar Raza without any support to mount a recovery.
Zimbabwe crumbled from 32/6 to a paltry 54 all out, equaling their lowest-ever ODI total against Afghanistan. Ghazanfar sealed the deal with his third wicket, wrapping up a one-sided contest in just the 18th over.
With this dominant display, Afghanistan asserted their superiority, leaving Zimbabwe with plenty to ponder ahead of the final match.
Brief Scores: Afghanistan 286/6 in 50 overs (Sediqullah Atal 104, Abdul Malik 84; Newman Nyamhuri 3-53, Trevor Gwandu 2-70) Zimbabwe 54 in 17.5 overs (AM Ghazanfar 3-9, Naveed Zadran 3-13, Fazalhaq Farooqi 2-15)
Result: Afghanistan won by 232 runs