Zimbabwe’s ODI tri-series campaign is back on level terms after Afghanistan handed them a 158-run defeat in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
The result means Zimbabwe and Afghanistan have each recorded one victory and one defeat in the series, leaving Zimbabwe needing to bounce back in their next match to keep their hopes of reaching the final on track.
Zimbabwe had started the competition on a positive note, beating Bangladesh by 99 runs on Saturday. However, they failed to carry that winning form into their match against Afghanistan, who produced a strong batting performance before bowling Zimbabwe out for just 136 runs.
Afghanistan, batting first after winning the toss, scored 294 all out in 50 overs, putting the Chevrons’ bowlers under pressure for much of the innings. Ernest Masuku and Brad Evans each took three wickets, helping Zimbabwe fight back towards the end and prevent Afghanistan from reaching 300.
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Zimbabwe needed 295 runs to win, but their chase got off to a poor start. They lost four wickets for just 43 runs, leaving them in serious trouble early in the innings.
Brian Bennett tried to steady Zimbabwe’s innings with 31 runs, while Ryan Burl and captain Sikandar Raza later combined to give the team some hope. The pair added 64 runs for the fifth wicket, briefly slowing Afghanistan’s march towards victory.
Burl scored 31 off 63 balls, while Raza top-scored for Zimbabwe with 48 off 80 balls. However, their partnership ended when Rashid Khan dismissed Burl, triggering another collapse.
Rashid went on to take four wickets for just 17 runs in eight overs, making it extremely difficult for the Chevrons to recover.
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