Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan, 1st T20I Match Summary

Right then, that is all we have from this game. Afghanistan have taken a 1-0 lead in the series and if they win the next game, then they will seal both the ODI and the T20I series. Zimbabwe will look to stop that from happening. The second T20I is less than 24 hours away, with play to begin at 4.30 pm IST (11 am GMT) on Sunday, the 12th of June. Our build-up will begin much sooner. Till then, take care and goodbye!

Najibullah Zadran (44* off 25 balls) is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his match-winning knock. He says that when he went in to bat, he had a chat with Darwish Rasooli to build a stand and then look to target the final four overs. Adds that he was seeing the ball well and just hit through the line. Zadran then shows a beautiful gesture as he dedicates the award to debutant Nijat Masood and shares it with him.

Mohammad Nabi, the captain of Afghanistan says that they did well with the ball and it was a good start with the bat but applauds Zimbabwe for making a comeback and goes on to applaud Najibullah Zadran for his knock as well. Ends by saying that he is happy and that one over off Blessing Muzarabani sealed the game for them.

Craig Ervine says that he is definitely happy with the effort but is disappointment as it is another loss for them. Adds that they thought 150-160 was par but they would have liked to get some more runs. On being asked about his sensational fielding, he has a laugh about it.

Presentation ceremony...

After opting to bat first, Zimbabwe didn't have the bests of starts but a few small partnerships and a flourish at the death from Sikandar Raza helped them achieve a defendable total. Debutant, Nijat Masood was on song for the visitors with a three-wicket haul. The Afghan openers came out with intent and took the sting out of the chase right inside the Powerplay. Ryan Burl's effort went in vain in the end as the hosts suffered yet another loss and now they will look to focus on the next game.

Zimbabwe will be heartbroken after that loss. Blessing Muzarabani is generally Craig Ervine's most reliable bowler but he had an outing to forget and the decision to give him the last over didn't work out either. After a poor Powerplay, it was Ryan Burl who picked up three wickets in a single over that gave Zimbabwe a lifeline. Quickly, Burl and Sikandar Raza had the visitors in a web of spin and had taken a lead in the game but the pacers traveled today. Blessing Muzarabani gave away 26 runs in his third over that took the game out of Zimbabwe's reach completely.

Chasing 160, Afghanistan got off to a flier as both openers were hitting the ball cleanly, especially Hazratullah Zazai! The pair of Gurbaz and Zazai put on an opening stand of 83 runs before both of them fell in quick succession and then Afghanistan were three down in the same over. Najibullah Zadran and Darwish Rasooli did the repair work and got their side back in the game. It was then the power of Zadran and a few important blows off the skipper's willow that ensured the visitors keep up their winning run.

What a match we have had but in the end, it is Afghanistan who keep their winning run going and extend it to four wins now on the trot. They also take a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series. Heartbreak for Zimbabwe though because they made a hell of a comeback in the middle overs but it wasn't meant to be.

SIX! DONE AND DUSTED! Najibullah Zadran has finished off the match in style! Slower delivery, on a length and on leg stump. Zadran just swings at it and clears the vacant backward square leg fence. Afghanistan win by 6 wickets!

Sloppy fielding again and Afghanistan get an extra run. Very full and on leg stump, Najibullah Zadran drills it towards Milton Shumba at long on who fumbles and the batters race back for the second.

Surprise, surprise! Craig Ervine opts to bowl Blessing Muzarabani for the final over and not Luke Jongwe. Could this be the decision that makes the difference? Can Muzarabani defend 7 runs?

A dot to end and Tendai Chatara has just about kept his side in the game. This is on a length but is pushed wider. Nabi backs away to hit but just can't reach it. 8 required off the final over now.

Excellent bowling! Very full and on middle, Najibullah Zadran looks to go big but can't get under it. Zadran gets an inside edge onto the pads as the batters scamper through for one.

Full and straight, driven down the ground to long on for a single.

Top comeback from Tendai Chatara! Nabi tries to step out but Chatara nails the yorker on middle. Nabi just about jams it out.

Edged and four! Short of a length, around off. Nabi backs away and has a swing at it. The ball flies off the top edge and over short third man for a boundary. Just the run-a-ball required now.

FOUR! Length ball, around off. Mohammad Nabi punches it sweetly through extra cover. The fielder puts in the dive to his right at the fence but can't cut it off, boundary.

Tendai Chatara to bowl the penultimate over.

Very full and on off, pushed through mid on for a single. 18 needed now off 12 balls.

FOUR! Placed to perfection! Full and wide, Mohammad Nabi creams it past the diving fielder at the extra cover fence for a boundary.

WIDE! Slower again, spilled down the leg side.

Another slower delivery, bowled into the deck. Najibullah Zadran swings at it and gets it to the right of deep mid-wicket for just a single.

Full and on the pads, clipped away past backward square leg for one.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! Gem of a slower delivery from Luke Jongwe and he has broken the stand. This is just pitched up a bit and it's the off cutter. The ball comes in off the surface as Darwish Rasooli swings hard across the line. Rasooli gets undone by the lack of pace and the ball goes on to crash into the off pole. Could this be the wicket that turns the tide? 26 needed off 16 balls.

Mohammad Nabi is the new man in.

WIDE! A slower ball, bowled into the deck but spilled beyond the tramline outside off. Wide called.

Full and on off stump, this is hammered towards wide long on for just a single. Zadran wanted two but Darwish Rasooli is a bit too slow.

Luke Jongwe is back into the attack.

Full and around off, this is drilled down to long off for one. Najibullah Zadran will keep the strike for the next over and now 28 runs are required off 18 balls.