Atal century and Rashid haul power Afghanistan past Zimbabwe

Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by 158 runs in the second match of the UAE ODI Tri-Series in Abu Dhabi on October 19, 2026, defending 294 after Sediqullah Atal struck 102 and Rashid Khan returned 4 for 17. Zimbabwe were bowled out for 136 in 38.4 overs while chasing 295, leaving all three teams, including Bangladesh, still in contention to reach Sunday’s final.

Atal was named Player of the Match after making 102 from 110 balls, his third ODI century. Ibrahim Zadran added 90 as Afghanistan built the platform for a total that proved well beyond Zimbabwe’s reach, despite a late burst of wickets that restricted the eventual score to 294.

Atal and Zadran build Afghanistan’s total

Afghanistan made a quick start through Rahmanullah Gurbaz before Atal and Zadran took control with a 140-run partnership for the second wicket. Zadran led much of the early scoring and reached his 11th half-century, while Atal initially took time before finding the boundary more regularly.

Zadran appeared set for a century but fell for 90 when Brad Evans had him caught at deep square leg. It was the fourth time Zadran had been dismissed in the nineties. Afghanistan then lost captain Rahmat Shah and Azmatullah Omarzai cheaply, putting greater responsibility on Atal to shape the latter stages of the innings.

Atal added 42 for the fifth wicket with Hashmatullah Shahidi and adjusted his approach as wickets fell around him. He reached three figures before holing out in the deep in the 45th over. Zimbabwe finished strongly with the ball, taking Afghanistan’s final five wickets for 35 runs in 5.2 overs. Ernest Masuku took 3 for 44 and Evans finished with 3 for 47, but Afghanistan had already established a substantial total.

Zimbabwe’s pursuit began badly. Fazalhaq Farooqi bowled Ben Curran for a duck in the third over, and Tafadzwa Tsiga was caught behind for 2 after chasing a ball outside off stump. Brian Bennett briefly countered with a six and a four, while Brendan Taylor was run out after Azmatullah Omarzai hit directly as Taylor strayed from his crease.

Omarzai later bowled Bennett, but that delivery was called dead after Bennett protested that Omarzai’s handkerchief had fallen during his run-up. Bennett did not last much longer, however, as AM Ghazanfar trapped him lbw for 31 from 40 balls. Zimbabwe were 43 for 4 in the 13th over.

Rashid breaks Zimbabwe’s resistance

Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl attempted to rebuild with a 64-run fifth-wicket partnership. Raza hit an upper-cut six off Ziaur Rahman and Burl struck a boundary, but the pair then went 13 overs without finding the rope. Raza survived two opportunities during that period, with Omarzai unable to hold a chance running in from deep square leg when Raza had 20, and another catch not held at slip when he was on 24.

The scoring resumed in the 30th over when Raza hit a boundary off Zia, before Burl struck Mohammad Nabi for four. Rashid then ended the stand by pinning Burl lbw for 31 with a slider. He followed it by dismissing Wessley Madhevere lbw with a ball that stayed low and removed Raza for 48 from 80 balls in his next over, with Omarzai taking the catch at cover point.

Nabi dismissed Brad Evans after Evans had hit the offspinner for a six and four earlier in the over. Rashid trapped Ernest Masuku lbw for a duck, and Ziaur Rahman’s throw from the deep ran out Masakadza as Zimbabwe’s innings ended before the 39th over.

Farooqi’s 2 for 15 complemented Rashid’s four-wicket return as Afghanistan secured a comprehensive result. For Zimbabwe, the defeat also meant they missed the chance to guarantee a final place by reaching 196 in the chase.