NEW DELHI: Sediqullah Atal‘s maiden one-day worldwide century propelled Afghanistan to a convincing 232-run victory, their biggest-ever One-Day Worldwide (ODI) win, over Zimbabwe within the first match of the three-match ODI sequence in Harare on Thursday.
Atal (104) and Abdul Malik (84) cast a formidable opening partnership of 191 runs, laying a strong basis for Afghanistan’s imposing whole of 286/6 from their allotted 50 overs. Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi‘s unbeaten 29 supplied a late flourish to the innings.
Zimbabwe’s response was dismal from the outset, with Ben Curran’s run-out on the ultimate ball of the primary over setting the tone for a disastrous batting efficiency.
Solely Sikandar Raza (19 not out) and Sean Williams (16) managed to achieve double figures as the house workforce was bundled out for a paltry 54 in 17.5 overs.
The Afghan bowlers, led by Allah Ghazanfar (3/9), Naveed Zadran (3/13), and Fazalhaq Farooqi (2/15), have been relentless of their pursuit of wickets.
Atal, a 23-year-old debutant final month, expressed his delight at his maiden century and the workforce’s complete victory.
Malik and Atal’s partnership laid the inspiration for Afghanistan’s commanding whole, with each batsmen complementing one another successfully. Shahidi praised the openers’ efforts and emphasised the workforce’s all-round dominance in all departments.
The match highlighted Zimbabwe’s ongoing struggles within the 50-over format, with their whole of 54 rating among the many lowest ODI scores in historical past.
The workforce shares the undesirable report of the bottom ODI rating of 35 with america, a mark they achieved towards Sri Lanka in Harare in 2004.
Zimbabwe’s totals of 38 (towards Sri Lanka in Colombo) and 44 (towards Bangladesh in Chattogram) are additionally among the many seven lowest ODI scores ever recorded.
