Rain-marred day sees Afghanistan close in on Zimbabwe

Afghanistan tour of Zimbabwe, 2024-25

by Cricbuzz Staff • Published on Sun, Dec 29, 2024 • 2:55 PM

Afghanistan closed in on Zimbabwe's first-innings total on a rain-hit Day 4 in Bulawayo, with only 31 overs of play possible. The marathon partnership between Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi finally came to an end, but persistent rain post Lunch meant neither side could force the game forward on an unresponsive pitch. Afghanistan went into Stumps at 515/3, 71 shy of Zimbabwe.

The overnight pair added only three more runs before debutant Newman Nyamhuri bagged his maiden Test wicket after Rahmat drove away from his body and was caught at gully. Afsar Zazai joined Shahidi and the pair put on a half-century stand to help Afghanistan past 500.

Hashmatullah Shahidi went past 150 for the second time in his Test career and was looking good to register his second double hundred. Meanwhile, Zazai collected three boundaries and even struck a six off Sean Williams and was four away from his fifty when Afghanistan went into Lunch at 507/3.

Shahidi added eight more to his run-tally after Lunch, but the two overs bowled after the break was the last of the action on Day 4, with rain pelting down continuously, eventually forcing the umpires to call it off for the day.

Brief scores:

• Zimbabwe: 586 lead Afghanistan: 515/3 (Rahmat Shah 234, Hashmatullah Shahidi 179*, Afsar Zazai 46*) by 71 runs.