Afghanistan celebrated their biggest One-Day International (ODI) victory with a commanding 232-run win over Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club on Thursday.
The highlight of the match was opener Sediqullah Atal’s maiden ODI century, which helped Afghanistan set a formidable target.
Batting first, Afghanistan posted 286 for six in 50 overs, with Atal’s 104 off 128 balls leading the charge.
Atal’s partnership with Abdul Malik, who scored 84 from 101 balls, laid the foundation for a strong total.
The duo shared a remarkable opening stand of 191 runs.
Zimbabwe’s response faltered right from the start as Afghanistan’s bowlers dominated.
Off-spinner AM Ghazanfar was particularly impressive, claiming figures of 3-9 to dismantle the Zimbabwean lineup.
Zimbabwe were bowled out for just 54, the joint-lowest total Afghanistan has ever restricted an opponent to in ODI cricket.
This remarkable bowling performance matched their 2017 feat against Zimbabwe at the same venue.
With this victory, Afghanistan now leads the three-match series 1-0, following a rain-affected first game.
The series concludes with the third and final match, which will take place at Harare Sports Club on Saturday.
