Omarzai’s brilliance outshines Raza’s valiance as Afghanistan seal series
Azmatullah Omarzai and Sikandar Raza struck rescue-act tons, but it was Afghanistan who prevailed by 19 runs in humid Sharjah
Afghanistan were in disarray at 5 for 4, which soon became 38 for 5. But Azmatullah Omarzai smashed a sensational hundred to power them to 221 against the odds. Then, Zimbabwe’s chase looked done and dusted at 82 for 5, but Sikandar Raza kept afloat their hopes as he racked up a ton of his own. Unfortunately for Raza, another of his famed one-man efforts went in vain as Afghanistan prevailed by 19 runs in a dramatic contest in Sharjah to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Afghanistan’s remarkable turnaround was headlined by a 142-run sixth-wicket partnership between Omarzai and Ijaz Ahmadzai. After being asked to bat first, Brad Evans’ double-strike in the first over saw Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mohammad Akram dismissed for ducks, before captain Ibrahim Zadran fell for a laborious nine-ball one. Shahidullah Kamal nicked behind immediately after and when Sediqullah Atal departed at the start of the ninth over, Afghanistan may have well accepted any total in triple-digits, having mustered just 45 at the halfway mark.
But what followed was a scarcely-believable counter-attack. Both Omarzai and Ahmadzai picked up a six apiece off Ryan Burl in the 11th over, peppering the ropes at will. Every over thereafter produced double-digit returns, the lowest being an 11-run 13th over from Ernest Masuku. Omarzai raced to a 31-ball fifty and continued to pillage sixes at will before wrecking Evans’ figures in a 27-run 17th over in which he notched up a 44-ball hundred. Ahmadzai also brought up his half-century in the next over before falling for 52, but Omarzai continued to tear into Raza. The Zimbabwean skipper eventually dismissed Omarzai, though not before the latter smashed 12 sixes in a stunning 116-run onslaught. Adding the final touch was Rashid Khan, who reeled four sixes off the final over from Kundai Matigimu.
Zimbabwe’s chase began positively with a 16-run over as Innocent Kaia raced off the traps. Omarzai continued to enjoy a dream outing, ending a 37-run stand in the fourth over as Kaia fell for 25. Brian Bennett’s brisk start was cut short in the final over of the Powerplay before Zimbabwe wobbled, losing three wickets in as many overs. Rashid ticked off a major milestone through the course of it, becoming the first man to 200 T20I scalps.
The asking rate shot well above 15 and the humidity got to Raza, who was regularly on his haunches. It did not deter his willingness to fight, however, rattling Afghanistan with a counter-punch of his own. He brought up his fifty off 34 balls and while the required rate continued to mount - it went as high as 21 at the start of the 18th over - Raza ensured multiple conferences amongst the Afghan contingent. Sixes continued to flow, while Akram shelling a chance and palming the ball over the ropes only compounded Afghanistan’s worries. But a 10-run over from Shahidullah Kamal meant that Zimbabwe needed 36 off the last over. They fell short, but Raza raised a spectacular hundred to cap off a manic evening.
The sixth-wicket stand between Raza and Tafadzwa Tsiga was worth an unbroken 120, with Tsiga chipping in with an unbeaten 31. As it turned out, Rashid’s final-over blitz, while a footnote to Omarzai’s brilliance, proved decisive as Afghanistan pocketed the series.
Brief Scores: Afghanistan 221/7 in 20 overs (Azmatullah Omarzai 116, Ijaz Ahmadzai 52, Rashid Khan 25*; Brad Evans 2-40) beat Zimbabwe 202/5 in 20 overs (Sikandar Raza 106*, Tafadzwa Tsiga 31*; Abdullah Ahmadzai 2-34, Rashid Khan 1-29) by 19 runs.
