[ad_1]
NEW DELHI: On the second day of the second and final Test between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s captain Craig Ervine top-scored with 75 runs, leading his team to a first-innings total of 243.
Ervine’s innings was supported by valuable contributions from experienced batters Sikandar Raza (61) and Sean Williams (49), as Zimbabwe recovered from a precarious position of 41/4.
Ervine’s partnerships of 71 runs for the fifth wicket with Raza and 73 runs for the eighth wicket with Williams were instrumental in Zimbabwe’s fightback.
The 39-year-old skipper struck two sixes and four fours, while Raza hit six fours and Williams eight fours before being dismissed one run short of a half-century, despite being given not out initially.
Afghanistan’s leg-spinner Rashid Khan was the most successful bowler, claiming four wickets for 94 runs, including the dismissals of Williams and Ervine.
In their second innings, Afghanistan faced early setbacks as Zimbabwe’s opening bowler Blessing Muzarabani dismissed openers Abdul Malik (1) and Hassan (11) with the score at 18.
The visitors suffered a further blow when captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (13) was bowled by an unplayable delivery from Sikandar Raza.
At the close of play, Afghanistan were 46-3, trailing Zimbabwe by 40 runs, with bad light halting proceedings.
In a separate development, it was announced that Ireland would undertake an all-formats tour of Zimbabwe from February 6-25, featuring a Test match in Bulawayo followed by six white-ball matches in Harare.
[ad_2]
Source link
