The Sunday Mail
Don Makanyanga
Sports Reporter
THE Chevrons yesterday slumped to their 13th defeat to Afghanistan after the Asians cruised to a comfortable six-wicket victory in the opening Twenty20 encounter of their three-match series at Harare Sports Club.
The only blemish to Afghanistan’s run chase of a modest 159 target was losing three wickets in the 11th over, as Ryan Burl’s leg-break spin threatened to dig the Chevrons out of their hole and make a contest out of the encounter.
Unfortunately, it was all for naught as Afghanistan raced to their target with four balls to spare.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Chevrons limped their way to 159 for eight, as wickets fell cheaply and at regular intervals.
The home side’s batting frailties once again came to the fore as only four batters – Wesley Madhevere (32), Regis Chakabva (29), Sikandar Raza (45) and Ainsley Ndlovu (10 not out) — managed to get double figures, while the rest all but threw their wickets away.
Of the four, only a fifth-wicket partnership between Chakabva and Raza showed some spine as the two combined to blast 31 runs off 26 balls.
Even that couldn’t help the team to a commendable target.
Chakabva edged Nijat Masood delivery to Mohammed Nabi in the 13th over, leaving scores at 97 for five and Raza to go it alone.
He starred in three more partnerships, with Burl (9), Luke Jongwe (16) and Ndlovu (25) on his way to a top score of 45 off 31 balls for the hosts.
With the target set at 160, Afghanistan had no trouble in their reply.
An opening stand between Hazratullah Zazai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz set the tone for the chase as the pair piled on 83 runs off 61 balls.
It took some wonderful bowling from Burl to break the partnership when he had Gurbaz (45) caught behind by wicketkeeper Chakabva in the first ball of the 11th over.
Burl then made it two for two when he removed Gurbaz’s fellow opener, Zazai (33), who was caught by Raza at mid-on.
The 28-year-old then got his third man when he again had Usman Ghani caught behind in his last ball of the over.
Burl finished with figures of three for 14 from his allotted four overs, while Luke Jongwe chipped in with a wicket.
Jongwe bowled out Darwish Rasooli (11), after which a fifth-wicket partnership between Nabi and Najibullah Zadran saw the visitors home. The two made 26 off 12 balls, with Zadran’s 44 off 25 balls earning him the player-of-the-match award.
The two teams meet again at Harare Sports Club for the second T20 international and wrap up the tour with the third and final match of the series on Tuesday.
