The Zimbabwe national cricket team, the Chevrons, delivered a commanding performance at Harare Sports Club, dismantling Afghanistan by an innings and 73 runs in their one-off Test match — a result that marks Zimbabwe’s first innings victory in more than two decades.
It was a complete team effort from start to finish, anchored by standout displays with both bat and ball. From the opening day, Brad Evans set the tone, tearing through Afghanistan’s batting lineup with a fiery spell that saw him claim figures of 5 for 22, restricting the visitors to just 127 runs in their first innings.
Zimbabwe’s response with the bat was emphatic. Ben Curran starred with a superb maiden Test century, scoring 121 runs, while Sikandar Raza added a fluent 65 and Nick Welch contributed a steady 49.
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Their combined efforts powered the hosts to an imposing total of 359 all out, giving them a commanding first-innings lead of 232 runs.
The Chevrons continued their dominance on Day Three. Left-arm seamer Richard Ngarava produced a career-best performance, taking his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket with figures of 5 for 33.
Blessing Muzarabani then applied the finishing touches, claiming two wickets in the 43rd over to seal an unforgettable victory.
The win is Zimbabwe’s biggest in Test history and only their third ever by an innings — their first such triumph since 2001, when they defeated Bangladesh. It also ends a 12-year drought since their last Test win in 2013.
With confidence sky-high, the Chevrons will now turn their attention to the limited-overs series, beginning with the first T20 International scheduled for Wednesday next week at the same venue.
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