Sediqullah Atal’s maiden ODI century of 104 led Afghanistan to a commanding 232-run victory over Zimbabwe, giving Afghanistan a 1-0 lead in the series. Batting first, Afghanistan scored 286-6, while Zimbabwe faltered, collapsing for just 54 runs. Atal received the player-of-the-match award, and Afghan bowlers destroyed the Zimbabwean batting lineup, indicating a challenging future for Zimbabwe in ODIs.
In a remarkable display of batting prowess, Sediqullah Atal achieved his first One-Day International (ODI) century, leading Afghanistan to an emphatic 232-run victory over Zimbabwe in Harare on Thursday. This win grants Afghanistan a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. Atal’s innings of 104 runs, alongside Abdul Malik’s solid contribution of 84 runs, forged a formidable opening partnership that amassed 191 runs. The Afghan team concluded their innings with a total of 286 runs for the loss of six wickets in their allotted 50 overs.
Zimbabwe, after winning the toss, faced a daunting task as their innings collapsed dramatically, losing wickets at regular intervals. The team could only muster 54 runs in 17.5 overs, with Ben Curran being run out on the last ball of the opening over. Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams were the only players to reach double figures, with Raza not out on 19 and Williams contributing 16 runs.
The Afghan bowling attack, led by Allah Ghazanfar who claimed 3 wickets for just 9 runs, alongside Naveed Zadran’s 3 for 13 and Fazalhaq Farooqi with 2 for 15, effectively dismantled the Zimbabwean lineup. Player-of-the-match Atal expressed his contentment with their performance: “I am very happy with my performance and that of the team. We won a fantastic game of cricket.”
Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi acknowledged the outstanding performance of the openers, attributing much of the success to their batting efforts: “I was very impressed with the way the openers batted. The credit goes to them. We outclassed them in all departments.”
Sediqullah Atal, aged 23, who debuted in ODIs just last month, showcased his talent during his 128-ball innings, which featured four sixes and eight fours before falling victim to Newman Nyamhuri, who took 3 wickets for 53 runs. This defeat marks another disappointing chapter for Zimbabwe, who previously encountered difficulties with low ODI scores, sharing the record for the lowest ODI score with a mere 35 runs against Sri Lanka in 2004.
As the series progresses, Afghanistan demonstrates significant promise, while Zimbabwe grapples with performance consistency in the 50-over format.
The current ODI series between Afghanistan and Zimbabwe has garnered attention, particularly due to Afghanistan’s rising cricket profile and Zimbabwe’s struggles in international matches. This match highlighted the increasing competitiveness of the Afghan team, especially with the emergence of players like Sediqullah Atal, who represent the next generation of cricketers in Afghanistan. Conversely, Zimbabwe has a history of inconsistent performances in ODIs, often leading to scores that reflect poorly on their capabilities as a cricketing nation.
The outstanding performance by Sediqullah Atal and his teammates has positioned Afghanistan favorably in the ongoing ODI series against Zimbabwe. With a solid batting display resulting in a convincing victory, the Afghan team showcased their potential on the international stage, while Zimbabwe will need to reflect and regroup in order to improve their standing in future matches. The series continues to evolve, promising further competitive cricket ahead.
Original Source: sports.ndtv.com
